


You Could Be My Home

by CommanderHeartEyes071215



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Clarke wants to help, F/F, Family Issues, Homeless Lexa, I just love shy Lexa, Lexa doesn't want to be a burden, Low Self-Esteem, Poor Lexa, Rich Clarke, Shy lexa, only temporarily tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-10-14 12:25:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 164,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10536438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CommanderHeartEyes071215/pseuds/CommanderHeartEyes071215
Summary: Clarke drives down that road every Sunday night. Tonight is different though. Tonight, the street isn't empty as it usually is. Why is a girl crying on the sidewalk under the pouring rain at such a late hour of the night?ORLexa has been kicked out by her homophobic parents and Clarke finds her sitting alone in the rain





	1. Under the pouring rain, we met

**Author's Note:**

> For the people who have read my first fanfic (The Missing Piece), hello again :) For the ones who only now stumble across one of my stories, welcome. I had originally planned to release this chapter a bit later but all the nice comments on the last chapter of The Missing Piece made me want to post it today. I am posting this first chapter to gather opinions on whether or not you guys like the idea and would want to read more. English isn't my first language so don't hesitate to correct me if there are any mistakes. I hope you'll like it!

 

 

Clarke is driving down the street she always takes to come back home after spending time with her friends. It has become tradition for them to meet up at Octavia's house and hang out each Sunday. The street is empty as usual for it is pretty late. The heavy rain is drowning every sounds.

Clarke is about to round the corner when her headlights catch some movement. She slows the car and furrows her brows when she can make out the figure of a girl who seems to be her age, sitting on the sidewalk with a small backpack dropped next to her. The girl's face is buried in her arms which are resting on her knees. Clarke stops the car and pulls the keys out of the ignition, the light of her headlights disappearing as she does so. The girl doesn't seem to react to the sudden loss of light. Her body is shaking, from the cold or her sobs, Clarke can't tell.

The blonde gets out of the car and carefully approaches her, trying not to startle her. The girl is soaked from head to toe. She is curled up against herself, shivering.

"Hi, I'm Clarke. Are you okay?" Clarke asks, getting closer.

The girl looks up at the sound of her voice and Clarke is taken aback by the emotion she can read in her eyes. She has teartracks on her cheeks and her eyes seem red and puffy from crying. Clarke can't tell their exact color because of the darkness but she guesses it is some kind of grey or maybe green. She crouches down to be at eye-level with her and the girl follows her movements with her eyes without really looking at her.

"Do you have somewhere I can take you?" Clarke asks.

The girl shakes her head and starts crying uncontrollably. Clarke can't just leave her alone in the street. She places a hand on the girl's shoulder and the stranger flinches at the contact.

"It's okay. I won't hurt you. I promise" Clarke raises her hands.

The stranger is still eyeing her warily and Clarke sighs, running a hand through her now damped hair. She makes a split second decision. Maybe it will turn out to be a stupid idea but she can't leave the girl alone.

"Come with me" she says, getting up and extending her hand for the girl to take.

The stranger looks at it for a few seconds but makes no move to grab it. She wipes hastily at her tears and drops her head back in her arms.

"Let me help you, please" Clarke begs. This is not how she thought her Sunday night would end.

The stranger sizes her up for a few more seconds then looks around, probably weighing her options, not that she has many. If Clarke grasped the situation correctly, she doesn't have anywhere to go back to. She's alone. The girl gets up and slowly takes the offered hand. Surprisingly, the girl's hand is warm and the contact leaves a strange feeling in Clarke's chest. She doesn't dwell on it. There are more important matters now. Like getting this girl to safety. She leads them to her car and feels more than sees the girl stop in her tracks. She is staring at the car dubiously.

"I'm not a serial killer, I promise" Clarke tries to lighten the mood and smiles in victory when she sees the tiniest smile on the other girl's face.

The stranger hesitantly climbs inside and folds her hands in her lap, silently watching by the window at the changing scenery. The longer they drive, the nicer the houses become.

It is no secret that Clarke Griffin comes from a wealthy family. Her dad being an engineer and her mom being the head surgeon at Polis Hospital, money is definitely not an issue. If you ask Clarke, she'd tell you she thinks they have too much of it for their own good. The neighborhood she found the girl in _-Tondc-_ isn't a luxurious one at all. Her mother told Clarke that it was a dangerous area and that she shouldn't be driving through it but Clarke argued that it was the quickest way to go home and that the streets were always peaceful. Her mother was reluctant nonetheless to let her drive there but she couldn't exactly control Clarke's every move.

"You know, I still don't know your name..." Clarke says after a few minutes of silence.

The girl doesn't say anything. She rummages through the glove box and Clarke sighs, thinking her question will be left unanswered. She hears the sound of a pen sliding against paper and a few seconds later, she is being handed a notebook with four letters written on it in perfect cursive: _Lexa_

"Lexa" Clarke tests out the name on her tongue, "it's a very beautiful name" she smiles at the brunette and watches as she blushes and angles her head downwards, "are you mute?" Clarke can't help but ask.

Lexa quickly shakes her head.

"Oh okay, sorry if that came off as rude. I was just curious because you haven't spoken yet but don't worry, you don't have to speak if you don't want to" she tells her and Lexa nods in thanks.

The car pulls to a stop next to a huge mansion. Clarke looks behind her and sees that Lexa is eyeing her house, a mixture of wonder and apprehension in her eyes. Clarke gets out and opens the passenger door for Lexa. She holds out her hand and smiles when the girl takes it in hers. She leads them both inside, taking off her jacket and brushing her shoes against the mat to wipe off some of the rain then she takes them off. God knows her mom will kill her if she leaves any wet stains on the floor. She looks up and sees that Lexa is still standing there, unmoving, staring at the inside of the house with widened eyes.

"It's impressive, huh? You'll get used to it. I used to get lost all the time in here" Clarke lets out a laugh.

Lexa doesn't laugh. She is still taking in the immensity of the house. The living room alone is almost twice the size of her own house _-well, of her old house._

"You can come in, you know" Clarke says when she sees that Lexa isn't moving from her position at the threshold.

Lexa nods discreetly and steps further into the house, bending down to take off her shoes and her coat, much like Clarke did a few seconds ago.

"You stay here, I'm going to get you some towels" Clarke tells her and leaves hurriedly upstairs.

She comes back with three towels. **_Better too many than not enough,_** she tells herself. She hands them to Lexa who nods slightly in thanks and starts by drying her hair.

In the light of her house, Clarke can perfectly make out the color of Lexa's eyes. They are a shade of green that Clarke cannot help but find absolutely beautiful. Because she's an artist, _obviously_. There is also a certain sadness written inside them. As if they once were shining with happiness but it was taken away brutally and now all that is left is dullness and a green that lacks its brightness. **_What happened to her?_ ** Clarke can't help but wonder.

They hear a noise coming from the end of the hallway and by relfex, Lexa grabs Clarke's hand.

"Don't worry, it's just my dad" Clarke tries to reassure her.

The mention of an adult seems to terrify the girl even more. Her grip on Clarke's hand tightens and she throws furtive glances outside as if she is about to run away.

"He's working right now" Clarke informs her, "he won't come out of his office until later tonight. It's just the two of us" The girl's frown progressively disappears from her face and she nods once. Clarke tugs at her hand which is still linked with hers and walks them upstairs, towards her room.

Clarke's room is huge. A queen-sized bed is standing against the wall opposite the door and a desk is placed on the right side of the room. A door leads to her bathroom while another leads to her dressing room where you can find numerous items of clothing. Clarke has never asked for that much. Some days she even loathes being born in a rich environment. She doesn't want all those privileges. She just wants to have a normal life, one where she doesn't have to fulfill the high expectations of her mother.

Abby Griffin has always been a pretty exigent mother, not letting any mistakes slip. Ever since she was born, Clarke Elizabeth Griffin has been taught to be obedient and to respect the authority of her mother. Her father is different. He is more laid-back and encourages Clarke to always follow her heart. Clarke knows that there isn't any love left between her parents and that the only reason her father stays is because he wants to be there for his daughter. Speaking of, Jake is the one who encouraged Clarke to continue drawing and painting when her mother tried to push her towards a more academical hobby such as learning how to play the piano or the violin. In the end, Abby had to accept that her daughter will never be a music prodigy. Now, dozens of paintings adorn the walls of Clarke's room, each more beautiful than the previous one.

The blonde watches as Lexa slowly marches towards a painting she has made about two weeks ago. It is one of a cloudy sky that melts into a mixture of green and blue.

[the painting](http://www.osnatfineart.com/paintings/11-09/11-09-blue-and-green-landscape-of-cloudy-sky.jpg)

Lexa silently traces her fingertips along the painting, mesmerized by it. Clarke feels tears well up in her eyes. No one has ever looked at one of her paintings with so much awe and wonderment. She clears her throat and Lexa seems to remember she isn't alone in the room. She retracts her hand from the canvas and looks away bashfully.

"Have you eaten anything recently?" Clarke enquires.

Lexa shakes her head.

"I'll be right back" the blonde says before leaving the bedroom.

She comes back five minutes later with a plate of lasagna and a fork, "here" she hands it to the brunette, "I'll get you some fresh clothes" Clarke says, trying to ignore the strange feeling in the pit of her stomach.

She searches through her wardrobe and finds a simple white shirt and grey sweatpants which she hands to the brunette once the girl has finished eating, telling her where the bathroom is, pointedly avoiding to meet those captivating green eyes. Lexa nods in thanks and retreats to the bathroom to get changed.

Clarke is starting to grow worried when she notices the girl has been in there for a long time. She hears quiet cries coming from the other side of the door and her heart shatters. She knocks softly and the cries stop but she gets no answer. She hesitantly pushes the door open and peeks inside. She sees Lexa wipe at her tears quickly and try to pretend everything is fine but she can tell even the girl knows it is useless. Clarke reaches out and grabs her hand, making her look at her.

"Come here" she opens her arms and watches the girl hesitate.

She stays like this for a few seconds and is about to drop her arms to her sides when Lexa moves slowly and curls up in her arms. The girl lets out a long, shaky sigh and Clarke feels a pang of sadness when she realizes Lexa probably isn't used to this kind of affection. Clarke starts stroking her back reassuringly.

The girl sobs into her shoulder for a long time and Clarke tightens her hold each time a sob wracks through the girl's body. She has no idea what happened to Lexa and she won't ask. She is just glad she was driving down that street tonight because if she hadn't been, who knows what would have happened to the brunette currently crying in her arms.

Lexa pulls away and looks at the wet spot she has left on Clarke's shirt, "...I'm sorry..." she whispers, her voice cracking slightly.

"Don't be" Clarke smiles at her, "come on" she tugs at the girl's hand and leads her to the bed.

Lexa shakes her head and points at the couch next to Clarke's window.

"Oh no, you're not sleeping there" Clarke decides, "I'll put a mattress on the floor for myself and you'll take the bed"

Lexa shakes her head again and Clarke sighs, gently shoving the girl towards the bed.

"Bed. Sleep" she commands and retrieves a mattress from a room downstairs while Lexa sits awkwardly on the bed.

Clarke comes back in and laughs a bit at how stiff Lexa looks. She gets closer and instructs the girl to lie down then tucks her in.

"You will not sleep on the couch" she points a finger at her, then drops on the mattress she has put next to the bed, falling asleep almost immediately after whispering _'goodnight, Lexa'_

The next morning she finds Lexa asleep on the couch. She smiles to herself, thinking about how stubborn the brunette is, then she starts getting ready for school.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

Lexa wakes up about half an hour later and the girl seems confused at first, looking around, trying to pinpoint where she is.

"Hey, sleeping beauty" Clarke smiles at her. Clarke is a bit ashamed that she has been staring at the girl for far longer than what is considered appropriate but Lexa doesn't have to know that.

Lexa's eyes widen when she remembers what happened last night. She quickly grabs her coat and bag and hurries to the door but Clarke is faster.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

Lexa shrugs and Clarke pinches the bridge of her nose. This girl really won't accept help.

"You're staying here"

"I can't" Lexa says.

"Why?"

The girl remains silent, looking down at her feet.

"Do you have someone I can call?" Clarke asks.

Lexa shakes her head.

"A place I can drive you to?" She enquires.

Another shake of head.

"Then you're staying here" Clarke says, clearly implying that she won't take no for an answer, "I have to go to school....where is your school? Maybe I can drive you there"

At the mention of school, the girl's shoulders slump and Clarke comes up with another solution, "How about you stay here today?" She suggests.

The girl looks up at her curiously, tilting her head on the side, silently asking for an explanation.

"You'll stay here while I go to school. My parents never come to my room anyways. We'll keep this going until we can find you a place to stay"

"I don't need your pity, Clarke"

This is the most Lexa has talked since they met. Clarke is so stunned that she almost forgets to reply.

"I'm not pitying you. I'm just trying to help you. Let me help you, please" she pleads.

Lexa squints her eyes at her then slowly nods. Clarke's smile widens and she briefly hugs Lexa, surprising the girl.

"Okay, great! You stay here and I'll be back around four in the afternoon...oh, almost forgot! Can I have your phone number so I could call you if there's any issues?"

"Uhh...I don't...I don't have a phone..." Lexa admits shyly.

"Oh...well it's fine, we'll figure something out so uhh...you stay here! Thank you for trusting me! Bye, Lexa!" Clarke rambles excitedly and leaves the house in a hurry.

Lexa stares at the space Clarke has been occupying mere seconds ago, "What am I doing?" She thinks out loud.

She considers leaving, running far away from everything. Then she remembers Clarke's blue eyes. She remembers the joy on the blonde's face when she agreed to stay. She can't leave her. She doesn't know why, it confuses her to no end, but she can't leave her. She blames it on the fact that she feels grateful to the blonde for helping her and giving her a place to stay, a shelter, when no one else would.

She drops on the bed and reflects on the last two days and how her life has taken a huge turn. She thanks the universe that a kind soul like Clarke was driving down her street otherwise she has no idea what she would have done. All of a sudden, she feels bad for acting so cold towards Clarke when all the girl wants to do is help her. She makes a mental note to thank Clarke when she returns from school.

She also knows she can't stay here forever but she has no one to call, no one to turn to. Tears start rolling down her cheeks. She has never felt so alone.

 

 

\--------------------------

 

 

"You seem off today, Clarkey" Raven points out, "what's going on?"

It is true that ever since she parted with Lexa this morning, Clarke hasn't been able to stop thinking about the brunette. She really hopes Lexa will not run away. She doesn't know why but she feels the need to protect her, to make sure she stays safe. As a result, Clarke has been acting a bit weird, giving one word answers and being way quieter than usual.

She doesn't want her friends to know about Lexa yet. She can't risk anyone finding out about it if she wants to insure that the girl gets to stay with her. She knows damn well that if her mom gets word of it, she'll kick the brunette out in no time.

"I guess I'm just a bit tired" she lies, smiling at her friends, hoping it will make them drop the topic. It works and the conversation picks up again, each person shifting their attention to Octavia who has started complaining about her math teacher. Well, everyone except Finn who looks at her, concern written in his eyes.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He whispers. She nods, humming and she can tell he doesn't believe her but he doesn't press further and for that, she is thankful.

Finn has been her boyfriend for four months now. He used to date Raven but it didn't work out between the two of them. At first, it was weird because Clarke didn't know how to act around Raven but the girl quickly reassured her that she was okay with them dating.

He is everything Clarke could ever ask for. He is sweet, caring and understanding but somehow, she has this daunting feeling that it isn't enough. In the beginning, she pushed the thought away because maybe this was just the usual doubts that come with the beginning of a relationship and she would most likely develop feelings for him soon but it has been months and she still can't shake away the feeling that this isn't what she really wants.

The bell rings and they all separate to go to their respective classes. Finn leans forward to kiss her on the lips but she slightly turns her head to the right so that his lips land on her cheek instead. She doesn't give him the time to question her on why she did that and leaves the room, suddenly needing to get away from him. She tries to convince herself it has nothing to do with alluring emerald eyes and the strange feeling she's had ever since she's found Lexa in the streets.

 

 

\--------------------------

 

 

She is relieved when she comes home and finds Lexa sitting on her bed, reading a book quietly. She has to refrain herself from hugging the girl because **_it would be weird, right?_**

Lexa looks up in panic when she hears the door open and her eyes soften a bit when she realizes it's Clarke and not one of the blonde's parents. She reaches behind her and hands a note to Clarke. Clarke takes it and shivers when their fingers slide briefly against one another. She takes in the length of the note Lexa wrote her and smiles at the mental image of Lexa taking the time to write all of this down for her.

She sits next to Lexa on the bed while keeping a reasonable distance between her and the girl, then she starts reading. She can feel the girl's eyes on her and it makes her feel a bit nervous so she tries to focus on the note instead.

 

_Clarke, I wanted to apologise to you and I know I won't be able to get the words out any other way than by writing them_

 

 ** _Apologise? What for?_** Clarke thinks.

 

_You have been nothing but kind to me and I realize my past behavior might have come off as cold. I wish for you to know that I am grateful to you for helping me and I acknowledge how lucky I am that our paths crossed when they did. I am also fully aware that my stay here is only temporary and I will leave as soon as you demand it from me for I do not wish to be a burden for you._

_Lexa_

 

Clarke first finds it endearing how formally Lexa expresses herself but then she frowns upon reading the last line. She doesn't think of the girl as a burden. She looks up and sees the brunette quickly divert her stare, though it is painfully obvious she was looking at Clarke, most likely gauging the blonde's reaction.

"You can stay all you want. You are not a burden to me, Lexa"

Lexa grabs the note and scribbles something at the bottom of it.

 

_What of your parents?_

 

"My dad will understand" Clarke shrugs.

Lexa doesn't miss how Clarke withheld information about her mother's possible reaction.

 

 _And your mother?_ She writes down.

 

"My mom doesn't have to know" Clarke tells her. Lexa frowns and picks up her pencil once again.

 

_You have done more than enough already. Thank you but I do not wish to cause any trouble to you or your family._

 

She gets up and grabs her bag, getting ready to leave. Clarke finishes reading the note and shoots up, grabbing Lexa's hand before the girl has the chance to make a discreet escape.

"Stay" she blurts out. She doesn't know why she is so inclined to help this stranger but the fact is that she is and she won't let Lexa go when she knows she can help her.

"Clarke..." Lexa lets out a sigh.

"At least until the end of the week" Clarke tries.

Lexa runs a hand through her hair and looks hesitant. She knows she doesn't have a better option right now.

"Please?" Clarke pleads in a small voice.

"Five days" Lexa quietly agrees, looking down at her feet.

Clarke smiles brightly and Lexa hates her stupid heart when she feels it fluttering in her chest. **_Now is not the time to develop feelings for a girl_** , she curses herself.

"Thank you!" Clarke thanks Lexa and the brunette wonders why Clarke is thanking her when she is the one offering Lexa shelter, a warm bed and everything she needs to get by.

Five days and then she will be on her own again. Five days and then she won't have to worry about burdening the blonde with her personal issues. **_Not much can happen in five days, right?_**

 

 

**_\--------------------------_ **

 

 

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Clarke exclaims later that night, when they're both sitting on opposite ends of the bed.

The blonde rummages through her bag for a few seconds and grins when she finds what she was looking for. She turns around, a brand new phone in her hand.

"Here" she extends her arm to hand the device to the brunette, "you told me you didn't have a phone. Now you have one. It could be useful if you need anything while I'm at school"

"I...I can't accept this" Lexa stutters. No one has ever done something like that for her.

"You can, and you will" Clarke smiles as she grabs Lexa's hand and places the phone in her palm before closing the brunette's fingers around it and retracting her own hand, trying to ignore the tingles in her fingers which the contact has caused.

Lexa is quiet for a few seconds, simply staring down at the device, then she raises her head, watery eyes looking back at Clarke, "thank you" she all but whispers.

When she sees a few tears rolling down Lexa's cheeks, Clarke hesitates for a short moment before slowly approaching her hand and wiping them away with her thumb. Lexa doesn't shy away from the touch. If anything, she leans into it.

Clarke grabs her own phone in which she has already saved Lexa's new number and she sends the girl a text message. Lexa jumps in surprise when she hears the sound notifying her of a new message and Clarke can't help but think that Lexa looks adorable in this moment, fumbling with the phone, trying to figure out how it works, her tongue poking out of her mouth and her eyebrows furrowed as she focuses on the task at hand.

"Here, let me help you" Clarke says, gently taking the phone in her own hands, "you see that?" Lexa nods, "this is the app for your messages. The little number on the corner here indicates how many messages are unread" Clarke almost wants to laugh at how serious Lexa looks right now. The girl's eyebrows are furrowed and she nods at each new piece of information, "so you just click on it" Clarke explains as she does just that, "and you can find all the conversations you have started. Well, so far there's just me" Clark laughs a bit and Lexa lets a small smile escape.

Clarke clicks on the conversation and gives the phone back to Lexa so she can see what she has written to her.

 

_**Clarke - 9.45 PM** _

_Hey, stranger ;)_

 

Clarke watches, a smile etched on her features, as Lexa clumsily presses down on the digital keyboard to type an answer. She realizes in that moment that she has been smiling more in the short time she has spent with Lexa than she has smiled around Finn in the past week and she wonders if this is something she should feel concerned about. The buzz of her phone strings her out of her thoughts and she looks down at it to see what Lexa wrote.

 

**_Lexa - 9.48 PM_ **

_Hi, Clarke. I am afraid you will have to teach me how to use this thing because my knowledge in technology equates the one of an elderly person._

 

Clarke laughs at this and sees a smile playing on Lexa's lips, "you have a beautiful smile" she blurts out before she can stop herself. She considers going back on her words but then she sees the growing smile on the other girl's face and she decides against it.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Lexa decides that she likes Clarke's laugh. It's so bright and full of life. It makes her heart soar and makes her forget, even if only momentarily, about the shitty situation she has ended up in. She hears Clarke compliment her smile and she can't help the blush that rises on her cheeks.

"I don't mean to pry but uh..." Clarke says, fidgeting, "I noticed how little you have in your bag and I was thinking we could go shopping tomorrow when I come back from school" she looks up at the brunette.

 

 _You don't need to do this for me. I'll only stay for five days remember?_ Lexa writes

 

And yes, Clarke remembers very well and she sort of wishes she hadn't said that because she doesn't feel comfortable with leaving Lexa to her own devices. It seems she spaced out a bit because Lexa is now calling out for her.

"...Clarke?"

Clarke has never particularly liked her name, finding it too unoriginal, but God does she love the way it softly rolls off of Lexa's tongue. The brunette pronounces it in a way that no one ever has, softly clicking the _'k'_ and Clarke wishes nothing more than to hear it over and over again _ **-**_ ** _Okay focus, Clarke,_  **she chastises herself.

"I want to do this for you" Clarke assures her , "so tomorrow?"

Lexa hesitates then nods, the slightest curve of her lips settling itself upon her features.

"Great!" Clarke beams, "I'll give you my school's address so maybe you can meet me there?" she suggests.

"Okay, Clarke" Lexa gives her a tiny smile.

The blonde watches as Lexa takes a blanket and settles on the couch, closing her eyes.

"You can sleep on the bed, you know" Clarke furrows her eyebrows. Lexa opens an eye but makes no move to get up, "there's plenty of space for two" Clarke insists.

Lexa seems to ponder it and ends up rising from the couch to slowly make her way to the bed, slipping under the covers while maintaining a respectable distance between Clarke and herself. Clarke laughs a bit when she sees Lexa lying on the bed, stiff as a plank. Lexa looks at her questioningly.

"You don't have to be so tense" Clarke smiles, "I don't bite, I swear" she says raising her right hand.

Lexa visibly relaxes. She lets her eyes flutter shut and rolls on her side, facing Clarke. The blonde stares unbashedly at her, her gaze scanning the girl's face before stopping a few long seconds on plump lips. She looks away, feeling bad for acting like such a creep.

"Clarke?" Lexa calls, her eyes opening.

"Yes?" Clarke replies, praying that she hasn't been found out as to her previous staring.

"Thank you" Lexa whispers, barely audibly and Clarke can hear the shaky intake of breath that followed the two little words.

She fixes her eyes on Lexa and notices the single tear that escaped the girl's eye. She reaches out and wipes it off gently with her thumb.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Clarke slowly asks. Lexa shakes her head and erupts in tears, tightly closing her fists around the fabric of Clarke's shirt. The blonde scoots closer and brings her arms up to wrap around the girl, "It's okay...you're okay" she whispers.

She realizes that Lexa has given into her exhaustion and has fallen asleep when she doesn't hear her small cries anymore. She lets go of the brunette and brings the blanket over both of their bodies. She looks at Lexa and once again wonders what in hell has happened to her that resulted in the girl sitting alone on the sidewalk on a Sunday night.

 

 


	2. Not as perfect as it seems

 

 

Clarke wakes up first and realizes that in her sleep she ended up cuddled up to Lexa, her arms circling the girl's waist. Her eyes widen and she carefully retracts her arms, hoping the girl won't wake up because that would be awkward.

Little does Clarke know, Lexa had been awake for quite some time when the blonde rose from her slumber. The brunette had tried to untangle herself from Clarke but when she had done so, the blonde's eyes had fluttered open and the brunette had thought pretending to be asleep was the smartest course of action.

She feels Clarke's arms slip away from her waist and is more confused than ever at the disappointment she feels at the loss of contact. She shuts down the little voice in her head telling her that she has never felt safer than when she was between Clarke's arms.

She stays like this for a while, listening to the small sounds Clarke makes as she gets ready for school. Her breath hitches almost unnoticeably when she feels Clarke's fingers brush a strand of her brown hair away, her hand lingering on Lexa's cheek for a second after doing so. She can still feel tingles on her skin after Clarke leaves.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

It scares her how excited she is to see Clarke again. She puts on her shoes and leaves the house to meet the blonde at her school as they agreed. Had she been a bit more attentive, she would have seen Abby's car which had pulled to a stop in the Griffin's driveway mere seconds before she left the house.

The older woman jumps out of her car and strides forward.

"Who are you and what the hell are you doing in my house?!" She yells.

Lexa startles and stops dead in her tracks. She turns around and is met with a furious middle-aged woman who is quickly catching up to her. Dread settles in the pit of her stomach and her first instinct is to run away but the woman is already too close to even consider doing so. Her mouth opens and closes but no sound escapes it and it only serves to increase the woman's anger.

"I asked you a question!" she shouts.

"I...uhh...I am...uh..Clarke said that..." Lexa stutters out and she can feels tears brimming at the corner of her eyes.

"You're a friend of Clarke's?" The woman seems to soften for a second but her eyes are still squinted and fixed on the brunette who wishes nothing more than to flee this situation.

"Uhh...not really...she-she helped me and-"

"And you thought you could abuse of my daughter's kindness? Why are you still here?" The anger was back in the woman's tone.

"My..my bag is upstairs and-and I...I just-" this is all she manages to let out before a sob wrecks her body.

As for the older woman, she seems completely unaffected by the scene unfolding in front of her eyes. She instructs Lexa to grab her stuff and leave their house immediately.

"Please...I have- I have nowhere else to go..." Lexa pleads through tears when she stands, her bag in her hand, outside the Griffin's house.

"There are shelters for homeless people. My house isn't one" Abby coldly replies before slamming the door on the crying brunette's face.

Lexa drops to her knees and holds her bag close to her chest as she cries. She should have known it was too good to be true. She weakly gets up and starts walking back to her old house. At this point, her only hope is that her parents might have changed their mind.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

 

She knocks on the door and waits for someone to open it. Her father is the one who does and he almost immediately slams it shut again. Lexa starts banging against it.

"Please!" She says through a sob, "please let me in! Please....don't leave me alone.." she shouts in a desperate attempt to get them to take her back in.

The door doesn't open again. ** _I should have known better,_ ** she thinks to herself as she dejectedly slumps down on the sidewalk and buries her head in her hands, willing herself to wake up from this nightmare.

She feels her new phone vibrate and she fishes it out of her jeans pocket.

 

_**Clarke - 4.50 PM** _

_Where are you?_

 

She doesn't respond. She doesn't see a point in doing so. She would only be a burden to Clarke. That's what she is to everyone anyway. Not even her own parents want her around. She fumbles with the phone for a few seconds, trying to figure out how to turn it off and as much as she wants to just throw it against the concrete, she knows it would be unreasonable and a waste of Clarke's money so she tucks it safely into a pocket of her bag.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

Clarke frowns when she gets out of the school building but doesn't see Lexa anywhere. Maybe the brunette is late. Clarke decides to wait for her on a bench. She pulls out her sketchbook and draws a few doodles.

Soon, fifteen minutes have passed and still no sign of Lexa. Clarke starts to worry and she fears that the girl has fled without telling her. She sends a text to Lexa, asking her where she is and waits for her reply. When it doesn't come, she climbs into her car and starts the drive to her house.

She climbs the stairs two by two, hoping that Lexa simply forgot to come but she finds her room empty.

"No..." she whispers.

She rushes down the stairs, almost bumping into her mom.

"Sorry, Mom uh..."

"Looking for something?" Abby crosses her arms in front of her chest and raises a knowing eyebrow, "or should I say someone" she adds.

Clarke's eyes widen with realisation, "where is she?"

"I don't know" Abby shrugs, "I haven't seen her since I kicked her out"

"You _what!?_ " Clarke all but yelled.

"I kicked her out, Clarke. She isn't our charity case" Abby states as if it was no big deal.

"Our...do you even hear yourself?!" Clarke angrily asks.

"You will speak to me in another tone, Clarke!"

"She has nowhere else to go!" Clarke moves her arms frantically.

"This is none of my concern" Abby coldly replies.

"How...how can you be so heartless?" Clarke dejectedly wonders aloud before grabbing her jacket and leaving the house.

"Clarke! Where are you going?!" Abby yells after her.

"As far away from you as possible" Clarke shoots back, swallowing down the hurt she feels at yet another dismissal of her feelings from her mom.

Ever since Abby got the position as headsurgeon of Polis Hospital, she has drowned herself in work and progressively pushed her own family to the background to the point that their mother-daughter relationship is now damaged beyond repair. Clarke can still confide in her dad whenever she needs to but each time her mother pushes her away, it breaks her heart a little more. Even now, she still puts on a brave face to keep others from worrying about her. To the outside world, they are the perfect family who lives in the suburbs and who show off their happiness during their attendance at important events such as galas which take place every once and a while but it couldn't be further from the truth.

Clarke climbs into her car and tries to think of places where the brunette could have gone. She sighs when she realizes she has no idea what the girl likes or where she usually goes. She drops her forehead against the steering wheel then her head snaps up as an idea pops into her head. After all, this is where she found the girl the first time.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

On top of it, it starts raining, leaving Lexa drenched. The occasional car passes by without giving her so much as a second look until one car that she knows all too well stops a few feet away from where she was sitting and a worried blonde gets out of it.

"Lexa!" She yells before running towards the brunette, "I'm so sorry" she whispers before throwing her arms around the girl's neck and hugging her with all her might.

Lexa is surprised at how much she truly needs that. Someone who cares. It seems to be a rare thing nowadays. She allows herself, even for the shortest time, to relish in the offered embrace.

"Let's get you in the car" Clarke tries to help her up but Lexa won't budge, "Lexa, hurry up! You'll get sick!" Clarke pulls on the girl's arms.

"Leave me alone" Lexa harshly says and it makes Clarke stop momentarily. Lexa berates herself for being so harsh, "you don't need to help me. I'm fine"

"Just get in the damn car, Lexa" Clarke stubbornly says, pulling the girl up to her feet, opening the backseat's door and practically shoving Lexa inside her car.

Clarke steps around the vehicule, retrieves a jacket from the trunk, then climbs into the backseat, next to the brunette. She drapes the jacket over the shivering girl's shoulders and quickly brushes her hands up and down the girl's arms in an attempt to keep her warm. Once she is sure Lexa isn't cold anymore, she smacks her behind the head.

"Ow" Lexa lets out before rubbing the back of her head.

"You, idiot" 

"Gee, thanks" Lexa mutters.

"Where did you think you were going to go?" Clarke asks with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know!" Lexa explodes, throwing her arms in the air, "I don't know.." she repeats more quietly.

Clarke wraps her arms around her and holds her close, "you'll be alright" she whispers.

"You can't say things like that" Lexa vulnerably says, "in case you didn't know, your mom kicked me out"

Clarke is glad Lexa now feels comfortable enough to talk to her. She just wished it was under other circumstances.

"My mom won't be a problem" Clarke tries to reassure the girl and she can see Lexa doesn't believe her "look, I'll talk to my dad. He is much more understanding and I'm sure we can figure something out"

"Don't bother" Lexa brushes off her help and goes to get out of the car. Clarke grabs her wrist and pulls on it, forcing Lexa to sit right back. She takes both of the girl's hands in hers.

"Let me help you" she looks deep into emerald eyes.

"Why do you want to help me so much?!" Lexa slightly raises her voice.

"I don't know!" Clarke replies in an equally loud voice, frustrated at herself for not understanding why her heart leaps in her chest whenever Lexa's eyes meet hers, "just...let me do this for you" she then whispers.

Lexa hesitates. Her eyes shift from the blue of Clarke's eyes to the door of the car. Eventually she lets out a long sigh and nods. Clarke feels relieved. She doesn't know why. She's honestly scared to find out so she pushes those thoughts away and focuses on dialing her father's number.

He picks up after two rings and she briefly explains the situation to him. She can see Lexa slump in her seat in shame as she recounts the story and she reaches out to gently drop her hand over the brunette's. She thanks her father when he tells her that he'll talk to Abby about it and that, in his words, _'we're not letting that girl wander around in the streets'_ before hanging up.

"You're coming home with me" Clarke says.

_Home._ This is an unknown concept to Lexa. Even when she was living with her parents and had a house, she has never considered it home. It didn't have the nice and warm feeling that is often associated with that word. The atmosphere was always somber and cold. She doesn't think she will ever find a place she can call her home.

"Lexa?" Clarke brings her back to reality, "you kinda spaced out" she smiles softly.

"Sorry" Lexa blushes.

"You're cute when you're blushing" the words are out of Clarke's mouth before she can stop them.

Lexa's cheeks turn a brighter shade of red and she ducks her head to mask it but Clarke sees it. _ **Could it be that...no, stop right there**_ , Clarke shuts down her train of thought immediately.

She climbs back to the front seat, letting out an _'ow'_ when her head bumps against the ceiling of her car. She grins in victory when she hears the faintest laugh from Lexa. The sound is gone as quickly as it appeared but it is now etched onto Clarke's memory. She turns the key in the ignition and starts the drive to her house.

When the car pulls to a stop, she instructs Lexa to stay in the car while she talks to her father.

"Promise me that you won't run away again" Clarke says before she leaves the car. Lexa stays silent for a few seconds and Clarke sighs but not even a second later, Lexa's small voice rings through the car.

"I promise" she simply answers and it's only two words but somehow, they hold so much meaning to Clarke.

By now the rain has stopped and sunrays peek through the clouds. The blonde enters her house and ignores her mother's attempts to talk to her. She strides towards her father's study room and doesn't bother knocking, barging in.

She tells him everything about Lexa once more in a more detailed way. She tells him how she found her sitting alone in the streets with nowhere to go. She tells him about Abby finding out about her and kicking her out and subconsciously, she starts listing off all of the brunette's qualities. Her father watches on, his lips curved into a smile.

"Where is this girl as of now?" He asks.

"Outside. I asked her to wait in the car"

"Well then I should go and meet h-"

He is interrupted when he hears faint yells coming from outside. They both rush outside and their eyes catch the sight of Abby, looking down at Lexa who has stepped back out of fear of the older woman and is now trapped against one of the car's doors, her back firmly pressed against the window. Abby is yelling at her to _'get the hell away from my house'_

"Mom, stop! You're scaring her!" Clarke shouts before taking the brunette's hand and pulling her behind her, her body acting as a human shield.

Jake steps forward and grabs his wife's shoulders, turning her around and leading her further down the driveway to avoid yet another heavy argument. Meanwhile, Clarke takes Lexa inside, to her bedroom, and hands her a towel to dry herself. The brunette hesitantly grasps it and their fingers brush for the shortest moment. The two girls look up at this before casting their eyes down, both adorning a soft blush on their cheeks.

"I can't stay, Clarke" Lexa whispers.

"We already had that conversation" Clarke brushes it off as she rummages through her stuff.

Lexa steps closer and wraps her fingers around Clarke's upperarm, forcing her to stop her movements and look at her.

"Clarke...it's okay" she murmurs shyly, "you don't need to help me...I'll be fine"

"No, you won't!" Clarke shouts and Lexa takes a step back out of surprise at the volume of the blonde's voice, "I get it, you want to be all modest and refuse my help because you think you can handle yourself out there on your own but the thing is you can't. You have nowhere to go and if you think I'm going to let you wander around the streets in the cold when I can offer you a home, you're wrong"

"You can't help everyone, Clarke. You did your good deed of the day. Now you can move on with your life"

"Is that what you think this is?" Clarke asks in disbelief while progressively stepping forward, forcing Lexa against the wall.

Lexa shies away from Clarke's intense stare and she looks around for an escape but is completely trapped against the wall, her face mere inches away from the blonde's. She gulps slowly when Clarke's eyes scan her own, seemingly in search of something.

"You were willing to let me help you before. What changed?" Clarke asks.

"Nothing" Lexa shifts her head to the side, crumbling under Clarke's stare.

"Is it because of what my mom told you?"

"Just drop it" Lexa says, getting uncomfortable

"What did she say to you?" Clarke prompts.

"I said drop it!!" Lexa explodes.

Lexa is expecting Clarke to yell right back at her and she can't hide her surprise when instead of doing so, Clarke's arms shoot up and drop around her shoulders as the blonde hugs her tightly.

"I'm sorry" Clarke whispers in her ear.

Lexa doesn't understand the tears that escape her eyes after those whispered words. She doesn't understand it but she lets it happen when Clarke tightens her hold then guides her to the bed, making her sit on it before kneeling before her, dropping her hands on the brunette's knees and caressing them with her thumbs.

"I'm a mess" Lexa whispers, looking down at her hands, hanging in the slight gap between her legs.

"You're not" Clarke shakes her head, "you just need to learn how to accept help"

They stay like that in silence for a few minutes, Clarke rubbing circles on Lexa's knees, until the door opens slowly and Jake's head pops into the gap left between the wall and the door. His eyes shift from Clarke to Lexa and he waits for Clarke's nod before fully entering the room.

"I'm Jake" he introduces himself, looking at Lexa, "it's nice to meet you"

"Y-you too, Sir" Lexa stutters out, unsure of how to act around the man.

"You can call me Jake, kiddo" he smiles warmly at her. He then takes a seat next to the brunette, the bed dipping under his weight, "I'm sorry about my wife. She can be a bit..." he trails off, looking for the right word.

"Bitchy?" Clarke supplies an answer. Jake throws her a stern look and Clarke raises her hands in defense, "it's not completely a lie" she mutters.

"Clarke..." Jake pinches the bridge of his nose, "I know you don't agree with her ways but she's still your mother"

"So what?" Clarke raises her arms in the air, "she doesn't act like a mother. Why should I treat her as such?"

Lexa strongly feels like she is intruding on a private moment but she also knows leaving the room would mean facing the dreading possibility of bumping into Clarke's mother and after their recent and less than pleasant encounters, she doesn't want to risk herself at it, thus she just sits and attempts to make herself as little as possible.

"Clarke, we already spoke about this" Jake sighs, "Lexa?"

"Yes?" The girl looks up, eyes wide.

"I'm sorry but I have to ask where you went to school before" he throws her an apologetic look.

"Uh...I didn't go to school. My parents...we couldn't afford it.." she looks away in shame.

"It is nothing to be embarrassed about" Jake tells her, "would you like to join Clarke's school?"

"Oh...no, you've done more than enough for me" she declines the offer.

"You do not have to refuse out of politeness" he says, "I'm asking you if you _want_ to go to school"

She hesitates, "...yes..but I cannot ask this of you"

"You're not asking me anything, I'm the one who suggested it" he smiles.

As her gaze shifts to Lexa, Clarke notices the girl's slight uneasiness. Lexa is tugging at her sleeves and looking down at the ground. Therefore, she decides to cut the conversation short.

"I think Lexa needs to rest for a bit" she says.

"No, I don't n-"

Lexa's words are muffled when Clarke puts a hand over her mouth and smiles sheepishly at her father. This lightens the mood and Jake laughs a bit. He places a kiss on his daughter's head before leaving them alone.

"I'm sorry you had to witness this. Our conversation about my mom, I mean" Clarke says when she hears the thud of her door closing.

"You apologise a lot" Lexa observes.

"I'm sor-" Clarke starts saying and chuckles a bit when she realizes she has just confirmed what Lexa said.

Lexa smiles at her little slip up and remembers something. She looks through her bag and retrieves a chocolate bar. She smiles and hands it to Clarke.

"For you" she mumbles. Clarke's lips turn into a grin as she accepts the offered snack, "I wanted to do more but uh...I realised I didn't really have much money and this...well this is all I could buy.." she blushes in shame.

Clarke's smile widens and she leans forward to leave the softest kiss on Lexa's cheek. This time, the blush that settles on the brunette's face isn't due to embarrassement.

"It's perfect. Thank you" Clarke whispers to a stunned Lexa, "I'll go get my schoolbag. I'll be right back"

Lexa remains paralyzed on the bed as Clarke leaves. She stares blankly into the emptiness of the room and slowly raises her hand to brush her fingers against the spot Clarke's lips had occupied mere seconds ago. A small smile breaks free.

"So I know we were supposed to do this today but well, shit happened" Clarke says as she reenters the room, "but I promise tomorrow we're going shopping for you" she smiles brightly as she hands some clean pajamas to the brunette.

"Thank you" Lexa whispers almost inaudibly.

"It's nothing" Clarke shrugs it off.

Lexa wants to argue that in fact, it isn't nothing. If anything, it means everything to her but as she opens her mouth with the precise purpose of denying Clarke's claims, the blonde has already moved onto another topic of conversation and the words die in Lexa's throat.

"And then maybe I can show you around in case you want to go out while I'm at school cause obviously it must be pretty lonely in here with no one to talk to and nothing to do, I mean, you got a phone but you don't know how to use it _-and it isn't a bad_ _thing-_ " Clarke hurries to clarify, "it's actually pretty nice, you know, that you're not glued to an electronic device like the rest of us are. Come to think of it, we should take example on you and maybe..."

Emerald eyes watch intently as Clarke's facial expression shifts as she speaks. She watches on with a soft smile, finding the girl's rambling extremely endearing.

"Clarke?" she calls out.

"And I know- what?" Clarke stops mid-sentence.

"You were rambling" Lexa informs her, the smile not leaving her features for a second.

"Oh, sorry" the blonde lets out a nervous laugh and her hand comes up to scratch the nape of her neck.

"See? Always apologising" Lexa teases, arching a perfectly shaped eyebrow, feeling a bit less shy all of sudden. Clarke groans and has to physically refrain herself from once again uttering the two words.

She isn't to blame for this habit of hers. She has gotten used to apologise whenever she makes even the slightest mistake and that is because of the behavior her mother adopts in regards to her. Not a day passes by without Clarke being scolded by the older woman for one thing or another. No matter how mundane and unimportant her mishap is, she always ends up being lectured about it and although this isn't the life she wants, it is hers and she deals with it on her own.

Abby Griffin has always been exigent but it hasn't always been to this extent. Few years back, she still acted like a mother at times. Now? Not so much.

Her friends know nothing of it and still hold Abby high in their esteem and Clarke wishes for it to stay that way because no matter how disappointed she feels by her mother's behavior, there isn't an ounce of hatred in Clarke for the older woman. Clarke knows that the pressure of her mother's job as well as personal issues have taken a toll on her but god does she wish she could have her mom back. Even just temporarily. Instead of this cold, calculating woman who seems to have lost all sense of what family truly means.

"I would love it if you showed me around" Lexa murmurs quietly, pulling Clarke away from her thoughts.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

"Clarke...uhm.." she worries her lip with her teeth in deep thought.

"What is it?" Clarke prompts.

"Well....uh..the screen of the phone you gave me suddenly became black... and...I don't know how to turn it back on...I think I broke it" Lexa hides her face as soon as the words left her mouth.

Clarke frowns and asks the brunette to hand her said device. She presses her index finger against the small button on the top of the device and keeps it there for three long seconds.

"Lex" the nickname slips out and she doesn't seem to notice as she keeps talking but Lexa definitely heard it, "the battery's dead"

"Oh...so it's broken" Lexa concludes.

"It's not" the blonde says through a light chuckle that causes Lexa's heart to do somersaults in her chest, "look, you just have to take a charger and plug it right here" she shows Lexa as she plugs the charger.

"It's not doing anything" Lexa states, "I'm sorry I broke your phone" the brunette genuinely feels guilty.

"You didn't break it, Lexa. When the battery of a phone dies, it always takes some time for it to _'resurrect'_ for lack of a better word" she laughs when she can pinpoint the exact moment the information registered in Lexa's mind.

"I'm so stupid" the brunette laments, looking down at her hands.

"You're not" Clarke says with conviction, "in fact, I think you're smarter than most people"

Lexa doesn't say anything. Thanking Clarke means agreeing with her words. Lexa doesn't see herself as smart. _**If I were**_ , she thinks to herself, **_I wouldn't be in this situation right now. If I had just kept my mouth shut._ ** Lexa can't help the feeling of self-hatred that those thoughts suddenly ignite within herself. ** _It's all my fault._**

"Lexa? Are you okay?" Clarke asks when she sees the conflict in the girl's eyes.

"I'm fine" Lexa lies, "can I just sleep now?" she immediately berates herself for the harshness of her tone.

"Oh...sure" Clarke feels a stab of disappointment at the girl's dismissal and tries to mask it to the best of her ability but it's useless and they both hear the shift in her tone.

Lexa hates herself even more now. **_It seems that letting people down is all I can do recently,_** she thinks sadly, **_maybe it's what I've been doing my whole life without even realising it._**

She drags herself to the couch near the window and dejectedly picks up a blanket, draping it over her body and rolling to her side, facing away from Clarke and effectively hiding her face from the blonde. She hears the soft click of the lamp being turned off as the room is now deprived of all light. Only then does she allow her tears to fall. She tries to control the small whimpers escaping her mouth to no avail. Because of the silence surrounding them, she knows Clarke has heard the sounds and she just prays the girl will ignore it. She knows that's just wishful thinking because the blonde is by nature a selfless person. The lamp is being turned back on and already she hears footsteps closing in on her.

"Lexa?" Clarke's soft whisper could be heard, "are you alright?"

"I'm fine" Lexa hastily wipes at her tears, making it a point to keep her back to Clarke.

"I think we both know that's a lie" Clarke's voice takes on an even softer tone and although she knows the blonde is only trying to help, Lexa cannot brace herself for the look of pity that is sure to grace the blonde's features.

She keeps silent and hopes it'll be enough to dissuade the blonde from asking any more questions. She feels ungrateful as she does so but she cannot help it. She has never been good with people and it earned her a few people calling her a freak or simply saying she was weird when they thought she couldn't hear them.

"I'm here for you"

For some reason, those words switch something in the brunette and she finds herself crying harder, not caring anymore about Clarke knowing about it. The blonde is by her side instantly, the couch dipping under the added weight. She gently rubs soothing circles on Lexa's back while whispering words of reassurance.

"Shhh...you're okay" she allows the tight grip Lexa now has on her t-shirt which the girl has closed her fists on.

Clarke's hand inches towards Lexa's hair and she tangles her fingers in her curls, tracing a pattern on the girl's scalp as the hearbreaking sound of each of the girl's sobs pierces through her own heart like an arrow. She sits up and pulls Lexa with her so she can embrace the girl properly. She rocks them gently, providing the needed comfort.

In that moment, she feels bad for noticing how good Lexa smells and how well their two bodies fit together. **_Where does that even come from? I have a boyfriend for Christ's sake!_ ** she chastises herself for those seemingly random and highly inappropriate thoughts.

When Lexa seems to have calmed down a bit, she tentatively releases the hold she has on the brunette. Lexa's hand comes up to brush away the last remaining tears and she gives Clarke a strained smile.

"You don't need to pretend to be alright" Clarke tells her, "I don't know what happened to you but you don't have to carry that burden alone"

She watches as Lexa's eyes drift downwards when she shifts her gaze to her hands, something she has noticed the girl does quite often and it's a shame because the girl has the most beautiful eyes Clarke has ever seen. She grabs Lexa's chin and gently tilts it up, she waits for emerald eyes to meet her own before speaking, "you shouldn't hide your face all the time. You're beautiful" she says earnestly, causing a crimson color to take over Lexa's cheeks, "you're not very good at receiving compliments, are you?"

Lexa only shakes her head in reply, looking away once again. Clarke smiles one last time before rising from the couch, extending a hand for Lexa to take. The brunette tentatively places her hand in Clarke's and lets herself be guided to the bed.

"Clarke?" she calls once they are both safely tucked under the covers.

"Yes?"

"Thank you"

Clarke smiles and grabs Lexa's hand, giving it a squeeze. When she goes to retract it, Lexa tightens her hold on it, wordlessly asking the blonde to keep holding her hand. Clarke's eyes bore into emerald orbs and she nods, showing she understood Lexa's silent request. She turns off the lamp and hears the faintest hitch in the brunette's breathing pattern. She thinks nothing of it and closes her eyes.

She is on the brink of falling asleep when Lexa squeezes her hand and softly calls her name again.

"Clarke?"

Clarke hums and looks at her through sleepy eyes, "yes?" she hoarses out.

"oh, I'm sorry...I didn't realise you were sleeping. Nevermind"

"I'm awake now so you can ask whatever it is you wanted to ask" Clarke laughs a bit.

"Well...uhm...can you..maybe turn on a lamp? Even if it's just a small one I just..." she stops and Clarke looks at her encouragingly, "...I'm scared of the dark" Lexa shyly admits in a quiet voice and if Clarke didn't find her adorable before, she sure does now.

"You are?"

Lexa merely hums in response, too embarrassed to speak.

Clarke smiles and gets up to switch on the lamp on her desk which gives a much less bright light than the other one and would be more conducive to a good night sleep.

She turns to face Lexa when she slips back under the covers, "If it means anything to you, I don't think it's embarrassing that you're afraid of the dark. We all have fears and I happen to think yours is a pretty rational one. I mean, some people are literally scared of spoons"

She grins and mentally high-fives herself when she manages to draw a small but oh so beautiful giggle from Lexa. She lets it happen when the brunette grasps her hand once again and holds it close. Maybe they're stepping onto a dangerous territory but right now, she doesn't want to worry about that.

Lexa's lips curve upwards ever so slightly as her eyes flutter shut. Blue eyes travel down Lexa's face, taking in how peaceful she looks in this moment and she brushes her thumb over the brunette's knuckles while listening to her soft breathing.

"Goodnight, Lexa" she whispers those words after a few moments of silence. She thought Lexa was already asleep which is why she is surprised when she hears Lexa whisper back to her.

"Goodnight, Clarke"

 

 


	3. A flicker of hope

 

"How in hell do you do this?" Clarke asks to no one in particular, throwing her pen on her desk out of frustration.

Lexa's eyes snap up from her book at the sound of Clarke's voice and she hesitantly makes her way over. She stops behind the blonde and looks over the girl's shoulder at the homework sheet, scanning the numbers written on it with her eyes.

"Don't bother" Clarke says, "it's practically impossible to solve" she drops her head in her hands.

Lexa ignores her and picks up the previously thrown pencil before writing down the solution to the equation. Clarke's gaze shift from her homework to Lexa several times in pure shock.

"How did you-how...how? I thought you didn't go to school?" Clarke frowns.

"I didn't" Lexa shrugs "I taught myself everything by reading books and using the internet connection of the local library" she says matter-of-factly.

"That's...really impressive" Clarke breathes out, mouth open in pure admiration for the girl standing behind her.

"I had a lot of time on my hands" Lexa shrugs, downplaying her exploit.

"Still. You're crazy smart..please help me with my homework? I'll do whatever you want in exchange" Clarke drops to her knees and links her hands in a pleading gesture.

Lexa stops her mind from picturing of what exactly could consist 'whatever she wants'

"Consider it my thank you for giving me a home, then" the brunette says.

"Deal" Clarke smiles brightly at her.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

"If anything happens, you can always text me, okay?" Clarke tells her as she walks towards her, her bag slung over her shoulder.

"What if you're in the middle of a lesson?" Lexa asks, frowning, "is it not forbidden to use your phone in class at your school?" Clarke smiles softly at how cute Lexa can be. Of course she would be the type of student that respects school rules and such.

"It doesn't matter" she says, "everyone does it anyway"

Lexa's eyebrows scrunch up in thought and she eventually nods. She gets up and hesitantly approaches Clarke, seemingly wanting to ask something without daring to.

"Ask away" Clarke says encouragingly. Lexa's head snaps up, wondering how Clarke could so easily tell she wanted to ask something, "you fiddle with your clothes when you're about to ask something" Clarke explains, nodding at Lexa's fingers which are currently pulling at a loose strand of her shirt, "so what did you want to ask?"

Lexa blushes, "can I....nevermind" she decides against saying it.

"No, no, tell me" Clarke prompts. Lexa takes a deep breath and Clarke can't help but find it adorable how the girl psychs herself to ask something.

"Can I...can I hug you?" Lexa says almost inaudibly.

Clarke's smile widens and she walks closer to the girl to pull her into a warm embrace. She closes her eyes when she feels the brunette's arms come up to circle around her waist. The hug last longer than what would be considered friendly but neither of them cares.

Clarke pulls away first, watching how Lexa's eyes shift to the ground.

"Thank you" Lexa quietly whispers. Had Lexa not looked so shy in this moment, Clarke would have risked herself at teasing her about how thanking someone for hugging them was quite an odd thing to do. Instead, she grabs the brunette's hand and gives it a squeeze before making her way out of the house.

Lexa watches from the window as Clarke emerges from the house and walks down the driveway. The blonde seems to remember something and she turns on her heels. Lexa's first instinct is to hide out of fear of being caught staring at Clarke but she finds herself unable to move her feet when Clarke's eyes connect with hers from afar. Clarke gestures for her to open the window and Lexa hesitantly does so.

"Don't forget that we're going shopping tonight!" Clarke yells from under the window. Lexa nods and Clarke waves one last time before disappearing from Lexa's sight.

The brunette closes the window and drops heavily on the bed, wondering what she could possibly do while Clarke is at school. She looks through Clarke's bookshelf and randomly picks one. She doesn't bother reading the small summary and only looks briefly at the title _: Fifty Shades Of Grey._ It sounds familiar but she doesn't think much of it and starts reading after settling comfortably on the bed.

About fifteen minutes later, the book is slammed shut with a loud noise and Lexa all but throws it to the opposite end of the room. Her eyes are wide and her cheeks are heating up, a heavy blush covering them. Now she remembers why it sounded familiar. That's the erotic book she has heard some people talk about last year. A scowl settles itself on her features as the visual of what she has just read is now etched onto her memory.

She wants to go fetch another book but is slightly scared of stumbling upon one similar to the previous one. She's not judging Clarke's tastes in litterature _-if you can even call it that-_ but she won't risk herself at reading anything of the sort.

She looks once more around the room and her gaze falls on the paintings ardorning Clarke's walls. They really are beautiful, she tells herself. She gets a closer look and notices that the artist has signed each painting with their name, _Clarke's name._ She is amazed that such masterpieces have been painted by a teenager.

She traces her fingers over the dry paint, awe written on her face, much like the last time except now she knows who the artist is and she admires Clarke even more than she already did. Eventually she detaches herself from Clarke's art and is painfully reminded that she hasn't eaten since yesterday afternoon when her stomach decides to grumble loudly. She cautiously makes her way downstairs, praying that she doesn't bump into Clarke's mother. She breathes a sigh of relief when it becomes clear the house is empty.

The kitchen tiles are cold under her bare feet as she closes in on the fridge and opens it, throwing furtive glances around as though she fears getting caught. She scans the contents of the fridge and closes it before pulling out her phone. As hungry as she is, she refuses to take any food without being allowed to. She knows that, by now, Clarke must be in class but the girl did say she could text her if she needed anything. She fumbles with the device, trying to remember where the app for texting is. She finds it and types out a text.

 

**_Lexa - 8.45 AM_ **

_Hello, Clarke. I apologise for disturbing you but I find myself being very hungry and I was wondering if I could take something in your fridge?_

 

**_Clarke - 8.46 AM_ **

_Ofc u can! U don't have to ask. Don't hesitate to txt if u need anything else. Have a nice day ;)_

 

Lexa frowns. What does _'ofc'_ mean? She tries to think of what it could be an acronym for but comes up with nothing.

 

**_Lexa - 8.48 AM_ **

_Sorry but...what is the signification of 'ofc' ?_

 

**_Clarke - 8.49 AM_ **

_Ur cute. It means 'of course'_

 

Lexa blushes at the first half of the message. A smile stretches her lips almost instantly.

 

**_Lexa - 8.50 AM_ **

_Thank you, Clarke. I hope you will have a pleasant day as well._

 

She locks the phone after not getting any new message for a few minutes, meaning their conversation was over for now. She retrieves a yoghurt from the fridge and searches for a spoon during five long minutes, huffing in frustration at each drawer that she opens which does not contain the required item. Finally she finds one and walks back upstairs.

She sits cross-legged on the bed and stares at the phone while licking her spoon clean, wishing the device would light up with an incoming message from Clarke. She tries not to feel disappointed when it doesn't.

The dangerous thing about being alone is that you have a lot of time to think. Too much time. At least when Clarke is around, it prevents dark thoughts from clouding her mind but with the girl's current absence, those thoughts run freely through her head and she is quickly on the verge of crying again.

Her thoughts are cut off when the phone lights up and she surges froward to grab it embarrassingly fast.

 

**_Clarke - 9.15 AM_ **

_I'm bored_

 

Her previous tears and scowl are replaced by a soft smile that she doesn't even try to repress. It feels nice to be happy, even if it's just for a few minutes before she has to go back to the sad reality of things.

 

_**Lexa - 9.15 AM** _

_Why is that?_

 

**_Clarke - 9.16 AM_ **

_Math. That is why_

 

_**Lexa - 9.16 AM** _

_I fail to understand what about math is boring._

 

**_Clarke - 9.17 AM_ **

_Oh no, ur one of them_

 

**_Lexa - 9.17 AM_ **

_One of who?_

 

_**Clarke - 9.17 AM** _

_Ur one of those ppl who like math, arent u?_

 

It takes Lexa about two minutes to figure out what _'ppl'_ means. She should really ask Clarke to teach her a few abbreviations otherwise she'll be completely lost when they converse with each other through text.

 

**_Lexa - 9.19 AM_ **

_As a matter of fact, I am. May I ask what is so wrong with this?_

 

**_Clarke - 9.19 AM_ **

_Everything. I changed ur contact name, by the way_

 

Lexa clicked on the attached file and saw a screenshot of Clarke's list of contacts where she had replaced hers by _'Nerd'_

 

_**Nerd - 9.20 AM** _

_Clarke...change it back._

 

**_Clarke - 9.20 AM_ **

_Nope ;)_

 

**_Nerd - 9.20 AM_ **

_I don't like you anymore._

 

**_Clarke - 9.21 AM_ **

_Oh? Does that mean u liked me before?_

 

Lexa curses herself. She has jumped right into that one.

 

**_Lexa - 9.21 AM_ **

_I never said that._

 

**_Clarke - 9.22 AM_ **

_u totally did. don't worry, I like u too ;) I have to go to my next class but we'll talk later, ok?_

 

**_Lexa - 9.22 AM_ **

_Okay, Clarke._

 

Lexa locks the phone and holds it against her mouth to hide the immense grin threatening to split her face.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

"Who were you texting during math class?" Raven asks when they enter their biology class.

"No one"

"Surely this _'no one'_ must be pretty important to have you smiling at your phone like an idiot for ten whole minutes" Raven smirks, "was it Finn?"

 _Finn_. In that moment, Clarke realises that ever since she's met Lexa, the boy hasn't been as present in her mind as he used to be. If anything, she has stopped thinking about him completely. A feeling of guilt settles in her stomach. Finn is her _boyfriend._ Somehow, this sentence feels wrong as it echoes in her mind.

"Yeah...yeah, it was him" she lies, waving her hand dismissively before dropping in her seat, her eyebrows scrunched up together as she mulls over the events of the past few days and how Lexa unvoluntarily broke through her barriers and shattered everything she thought she knew.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

Clarke's school isn't as fancy as she had pictured. It is pretty much like any other school. Perhaps Clarke has asked to be put in a normal establishment instead of an expensive private school.

She spots the blonde in the distance and is about to walk closer when she catches sight of the people currently surrounding the girl. She takes a small step back and decides to wait here because she has always been afraid of crowds. Unfortunately for her, it seems Clarke hasn't noticed her until they are only at a few feet of distance, forcing the brunette to face the rest of the blonde's group of friends.

Clarke, as for her, doesn't really know how to go about this. She hadn't thought about the high probability of having to introduce Lexa to her friends if the girl waited for her on schoolgrounds.

"Uh..guys, this is Lexa" she awkwardly gestures at the brunette, "she...she's a friend of mine"

Lexa shyly gives a small wave before looking down, fidgeting a bit. Clarke sees Lexa's discomfort and decides to introduce everyone to lessen the tension.

"Those two here are my best friends, Raven and Octavia" she gestures at them.

Raven waves while Octavia smiles. Raven places a hand over her mouth in a fake whisper, "if you need to blow something up, I'm your girl" she smirks.

 ** _Blow things up?!_** Lexa repeats in her mind and she must look as terrified on the outside as she is on the inside because Raven is now laughing.

"Very funny, Rae. The curly haired boy over there is Bellamy, Octavia's brother"

"It sure is nice to meet you" he throws her a flirtatious smile.

"Back off, Bell" Clarke warns him and Lexa is thankful because she was starting to feel uneasy, "and this is Finn"

Clarke purposely leaves out the fact that he's her boyfriend. She doesn't miss the small confused crease of Finn's eyebrows and she watches as the brunette politely shakes his offered hand.

"Sooo" Clarke drags out the monosyllabic word, "we have to go. Bye" she says, grabbing Lexa's hand and leading her away from the group, ignoring her friends's questioning looks.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

"I'm really sorry about that. I didn't mean to have you cornered like that and that must have been awkward for you. I should have been more careful" Clarke apologizes.

"It's fine" Lexa brushes off, "they seem nice"

"Oh trust me they are all but nice" Clarke laughs.

Lexa smiles at the sound, "I've never really had any friends" she quietly admits.

Clarke frowns at that. She doesn't dwell on it though and instead of questioning the girl about it, she tightens her hold on her hand and smiles brightly at her, "you have me"

Lexa's lips curve upwards ever so slightly and had Clarke not been paying close attention to her, she would have probably missed it. Thing is, Clarke is always paying attention to Lexa, so much that she has started noticing a few things already. Like how the girl fiddles with her shirt and looks away whenever she's nervous or how she clenches her jaw when she tries to contain her tears or yet, how she never looks at herself into a mirror as if ashamed of the image it will send back to her.

If Clarke has picked up on something from the short time they spent together, it is that Lexa has a heartbreakingly low self-esteem. She silently curses every single person who has ever made Lexa feel like she wasn't worth neither their time nor their attention. Lexa's a beautiful person and Clarke will prove it to her.

They get on the subway which is already pretty crowded, forcing them to stand at a close distance.

"Sorry" Clarke apologises for the lack of personal space.

"Not your fault" Lexa looks down at her feet to avoid having to look into entacing blue orbs.

It takes them about ten minutes to get to the right stop. They elbow their way out of the subway, pushing past people, ignoring the few groans of protest they get from grumpy passengers. Clarke leads the both of them, wandering around the busy streets of the city center, going from shop to shop in search of new clothes for Lexa.

"What about this one?" Clarke holds out a pink sweater, "...or not" she says when she sees the expression of pure disgust on Lexa's face, "what do you like in general?"

"Uh..." Lexa scraps the back of her neck, "I...never really got a choice...I just picked the less expensive ones.." she looks away, ashamed.

Clarke feels like the biggest asshole in the world right now, "oh, well...today you get to choose. Pick whatever you like" she smiles.

Lexa chances a shy smile in return and tentatively scans the store with her eyes, Clarke walking alonside her. Lexa's thankful that the employees aren't overbearing like some can be in other shops, always asking about what we would like to buy or if we like this or that. She likes the quiet.

"...this..this one" she hesitantly points at a black and green flannel shirt.

Clarke picks it up and holds it in front of Lexa, "it would look good on you" she states, "wanna try it on?"

Lexa nods once and accept the item of clothing as Clarke guides her to the changing stalls, placing her hand on the small of the brunette's back, the contact causing shivers to run through Lexa's body. **_Stop being so gay,_ ** she scolds herself.

"Oh and take that with you" Clarke instructs, handing her a low-cut sleeveless shirt.

Lexa emerges from the stall one minute later and Clarke tries to refrain herself from saying something stupid.

"Wow...you look hot" **_Too late._ ** She shuts her eyes tightly, hating her spontaneous nature at the moment.

Lexa blushes at the compliment and nervously tugs at the sleeves of the flannel. Clarke grabs her hands to stop her movements and their eyes connect.

"Let's go find other clothes" she whispers, throwing a wink at the brunette.

"You don't have to...this is enough" Lexa argues.

Clarke raises an eyebrow, "this is a shopping spree, meaning we're not leaving until you've bought at least ten things"

She leaves no room for any protests as she walks away, already in search of another item of clothing. Lexa conceals a smile and follows after Clarke.

"Oooh, look at this" Clarke says, showing off a leather jacket.

"I'm not sure, Clarke..."

"Will you at least try it on?" Clarke bats her eyelashes at her while pouting slightly.

Lexa tries to resist but Clarke is looking at her like a sad puppy. She puts the jacket on, giggling at Clarke's little fistbump of joy.

"See?" Clarke gestures at her, "it looks amazing"

Lexa walks to the nearest mirror and even she has to admit that she looks good in this. Clarke was right.

"You were right" she tells the blonde.

"Of course, I was" Clarke smirks and links their hands. They pay and leave the shop.

"Are we going home?" Lexa asks.

" _Home?_ " Clarke repeats, "uh uh, not yet. There are plenty of other shops to check out"

"Clarke...you've done so much already. I can't accept this"

"Yes you can, come on!" She tugs on Lexa's hand but the girl stays unmoving, "seriously?" she crosses her arms in front of her.

Lexa simply shrugs, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Alright" Clarke steps behind her and pushes Lexa with all her strength to no avail. The brunette hasn't even moved by an inch. Clarke sighs and walks around the girl, deciding to use her previously used technique, "please" she pleads while pouting.

"No" Lexa looks away.

"Pleeeeaase?"

Lexa makes the mistake to look into blue eyes and sighs in defeat, "just one"

"Yesss!" Clarke exclaims, enveloping Lexa in a tight hug. The blonde pulls away almost as fast as she threw herself at her and Lexa barely has time to react before the girl's warmth is gone.

They end up going to three others shops and stop to eat in a small restaurant nearby. Lexa feels ashamed at how weak she is for pretty girls.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

"Where have you been?" Her mother asks as soon as they step into the house.

"We went shopping" Clarke answers, walking past her mom, not in the mood for another lecture.

" _Shopping?_ Clarke, do you know what time it is?" Abby raises her voice, startling Lexa who tries to make herself as little as possible.

"It's 8.25 in the evening. I know how to read the time, mom"

"Why were you out shopping on a school night?" Abby questions.

"We went to get Lexa some clothes" Clarke closes her eyes in exasperation when she can already predict her mother's next words.

Abby turns to face Lexa and points an accusatory finger at her, "we let you live here and you abuse of my daughter's kindness by forcing her to buy you things?"

Clarke, in a rush of protectiveness, places herself in front of Lexa, "Leave her out of this. I decided to do this for her. She even refused at first so stop attacking her"

"Do not speak to me like that! I am your mother, Clarke"

"Then act like one!!" the blonde shouts before storming off, taking Lexa with her upstairs.

She notices Lexa's tear-filled eyes and cautiously approaches the girl, "I'm really sorry about my mother"

"All I do is cause problems to you and your family...to everyone" Lexa looks down.

"What do you mean?"

"Even my own parents don't want me" she tries to control the flow of tears but it's useless.

"Here" Clarke makes her sit on the bed, her back resting agains the headboard and she sits in front of her, taking her hands in hers, "can you tell me what happened to you?" she softly asks.

Lexa seems to ponder the question. She takes a deep breath and releases the air from her lungs in a shaky exhale. She feels Clarke's thumbs rub circles on the back of her hands and the movement soothes her a bit. She nods barely perceptively.

"Take your time" Clarke smiles. Lexa raises her gaze momentarily, her eyes connecting with Clarke's for a millisecond before they drop to her fiddling hands once again.

"....I was...I used to live in the house in front of which I was sitting when you found me but..." She closes her eyes, too scared to witness Clarke's reaction.

Clarke seems to be a very open-minded person but Lexa can't help but fear that her reaction will be similar to her parents'. She doesn't think she can endure having yet another person look at her with so much disgust in their eyes.

"..my parents..they...they kicked me out" she hears the small hitch in Clarke's breathing but continues speaking, knowing that if she doesn't, she won't be able to go through with this, "they kicked me out because I'm....because I'm gay.."

Silence. Lexa doesn't dare open her eyes. Her body is trembling and silent tears roll down her cheeks. As the silence prolongs itself she feels more and more that telling Clarke was a mistake. She feels a hand on her cheek and her head is being gently tilted upwards but still she keeps her eyes firmly shut.

"Lexa, look at me" Clarke softly calls out.

Lexa shakes her head, "no...please, I can't...I can't.." a sob interrupts her words and she feels a second hand cup her other cheek.

"Look at me, please" Clarke's voice is soft as she utters that plea.

Lexa hesitantly opens one eye, then the other, her vision blurry due to unshed tears. The first thing she sees are cerulean eyes, looking back at her with such gentleness and understanding.

"I'm glad you told me" Clarke says, "and I'm sorry about what happened with your parents"

Lexa nods in acknowledgement, a deep sigh of relief leaving her lips and Clarke takes her in her arms, rocking them gently.

"You're not disgusted by me?" the words are spoken quietly when Clarke pulls away.

" _What?_ No, of course not!" Clarke's heart shatters when she takes in how vulnerable Lexa looks in that moment, "why would I be?"

Lexa shrugs sadly, "my parents were"

"I'm sorry" Clarke reiterates.

"Don't be...it's not your fault.." Lexa picks at her nails while saying it. Clarke frowns. Something doesn't sit right by her with how the girl is behaving. Then it dawns on her.

"You know it's not your fault either, right?" she says. Lexa remains silent and it is enough of an answer for Clarke, "it's not your fault" Lexa looks up at this, "it's not your fault that your parents aren't tolerant enough to accept you just the way you are. This is what any good parent should do. A good parent should encourage their child to be who they are and not force them to be who they want them to be" Clarke realises how close to home those words hit and she forces herself to remain focused on Lexa instead of thinking of her own familial issues.

"Are we still talking about my parents?" Lexa hesitantly wonders aloud. Unfortunately for Clarke, the brunette is very perceptive and has caught onto the almost undistinguishable shift in the blonde's behavior. It is Clarke's turn to look away.

"I'm sorry" Lexa apologises, "this was rude of me. I understand that it is none of my concern"

"You apologise almost as much as I do" Clarke jokes to lessen the slight tension and she knows it worked when she sees Lexa crack a smile, "let's talk about something else, alright?" Lexa nods, more than happy to divert from this topic of conversation.

She sees that Clarke's eyes have stopped on something behind her. She follows her gaze and freezes when she sees the book she has thrown across the room earlier today. **_I should have put it back in the shelf,_** she thinks.

" _Fifty Shades Of Grey?_ " Clarke says and Lexa keeps her eyes on anything but Clarke, "didn't know you were into that kind of books" a teasing tone could be heard in the blonde's voice.

"I...I'm n-not.." Lexa stutters out, "I...I didn't know...uh..this.."

Clarke can't repress her laughter at the scene unfolding in front of her. Lexa is blushing heavily, eyes wide while trying to form a somewhat coherent sentence.

"I'm just teasing you, don't worry about it" Clarke playfully pushes her shoulder, "anyways, I only have that book because everyone was talking about it and I wanted to know what was all the fuss about. Wasn't even a good book"

"I'm scarred for life"

Lexa smiles to herself when her words elicit a loud laughter from Clarke.

"Girls?" Jake interrupts them, "can I talk with you two for a bit?"

Clarke looks at Lexa for confirmation that she's okay with this. She gets a nod in reply and her dad walks inside the room, closing the door behind him.

"Lexa, I just wanted to let you know that I have arranged everything with the school and you'll start on Monday"

Lexa can't believe her ears. She will finally go to school, have an education. She is aware of most teenagers' disdain for school but in her case, this is something she's looking forward to. Being deprived of it only made her want to experience it more.

"Really?" she asks in diesbelief, eyes wide and lips stretched into a blinding smile.

"Really" Jake confirms, his smile almost as wide as Lexa's.

Clarke watches how Lexa's features light up at the news. She feels immensely happy for the other girl.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Griffin" Lexa bows her head slightly in thanks.

"What must I do to get you to call me Jake?" He wonders aloud, his smile firmly in place.

Lexa shyly shrugs, "I'm afraid this is something that won't happen anytime soon" she admits, feeling more comfortable around the man.

"You wound me deeply" he jokes, clasping a hand on his chest, over his heart. It elicits the smallest giggle from Lexa who finds herself amused by the man's antics.

Clarke watches the whole interaction, a soft smile plastered on her face. She is thankful for her father's ability to put people at ease immediately with his warm smiles and his bad sense of humor which Lexa seems to appreciate nonetheless.

"Well, I'll leave you two girls alone" he pats Lexa's thigh and smiles at her one last time before going back to his study room.

"I like your dad" Lexa quietly says, an ever present smile settled on her features. **_Happiness looks good on her,_ ** Clarke decides.

"Even his lame sense of humor?" Clarke raises an eyebrow.

"It isn't so bad" the brunette argues.

"You'll change your mind after having to hear a dozen of those jokes on a daily basis"

Lexa shrugs. She wouldn't mind really. She enjoys Mr. Griffin's lame jokes. She hasn't felt so carefree in awhile.

"I know that initially we had said you'd stay until we find you somewhere to stay but obviously, circumstances have changed" Clarke says.

Lexa nods, waiting for Clarke to continue speaking.

"I guess I just want to ask you properly because your opinion matters to me...do you want to stay live with us? At least until the end of the year, I mean"

Lexa is taken aback. She isn't used to people being so thoughtful of her well-being, "I don't want to bother you that long" she whispers.

"You're not bothering me. It's quite the opposite" Clarke looks intently into shy green eyes, "I like having you around" she reveals.

"You do?" Lexa is genuinely shocked by this. No one has ever made Lexa feel as though they enjoyed her company. Until now.

"Yeah" Clarke smiles, "I really want you to stay but that's only if you want to stay as well. So what do you say?"

Lexa smiles to herself as she fumbles with her sleeves, "I'd like that very much" she supplies as an answer, speaking the words quietly.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

Dinner is awkward, to say the least. Lexa keeps her eyes fixed on her plate, not daring to look up out of fear of being met with Abby's murderous gaze. She is thankful that Jake and Clarke attempt to keep the conversation going to avoid a dinner rhythmed by the sounds of the clatter of forks against the plates.

"Where are you from?" Abby cuts through the conversation.

"T-Tondc..uhh..it's near-"

"I know where it is, thank you" Abby cuts her off, "an area filled with thugs and thieves" she says under her breath but it was clearly meant to be heard.

" _Abby!_ " Jake whispers loudly but it is ignored by the woman who sets off on a full-on interrogation of the young brunette.

"Where are your parents?"

Lexa fidgets on her seat, crumbling under Abby's stare.

"Stop, mom!" Clarke drops her cutlery on her plate, "you're making her uncomfortable and quite frankly, I feel uncomfortable too"

"You _cannot_ possibly think all of this is a good idea!?" Abby turns to ask her husband, "we don't even know this girl!" she points a finger at Lexa, speaking as though the girl wasn't right here, hearing every single word, "she could be a thief for all we know"

"Enough!!" Jake yells.

Indeed, it has been enough for Lexa. She folds her napkin and calmly gets up, "Dinner was very good. If you'll excuse me" she mutters before going upstairs, followed by Clarke who fixes her mother with a glare before disappearing in the staircase.

She finds the brunette buried inside the blankets. She doesn't think about it before slipping under the covers to wrap her arms around the girl's waist, hugging her from behind,

"I'm sorry" she whispers into the girl's hair.

Lexa remains quiet, the uneven rhythm of her breathing being the only indication that she's still awake, "it's fine" she finally whispers, "shes right. You don't know anything about me...you shouldn't be so quick to trust a stranger.."

"You're not a stranger. Not anymore" Clarke ever so slightly tightens her hold on the girl's waist, "you're my friend"

Friendship isn't something Lexa is familiar with. One of the many downsides of not going to school is that you miss on plenty of opportunities to meet people your own age. As a direct result, Lexa has never had any friends. She has had contacts with her parents and her parents' friends but that's about it. Until now, that is.

"I am?" Lexa turns in the embrace to face Clarke.

"Yeah" the blonde smiles, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Lexa's ear before she could stop herself.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

"What was that, Abby?" Jake angrily asks when Clarke disappears upstairs.

"She'll only bring us trouble and you know that"

"She's just a kid!" Jake waves his arms around in barely contained anger.

"And what difference does that make?" Abby's revolve doesn't crumble one bit.

Jake shakes his head, "...I don't know who you are but you are not the woman I decided to marry.." he says in a much lower voice before dejectedly walking away.

 ** _This is all this girl's fault,_ ** Abby thinks as she slumps on the couch, head in her hands.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

"No, wait" Clarke says through her laughter as she watches Lexa fumble with the phone, attempting and failing at creating a facebook page, "hand me the phone" she holds her hand up, palm open.

Lexa frowns at the device as though it personally offended her and drops it in Clarke's hand.

"Alright" Clarke clicks on _'create an account'_ and fills in the space for Lexa's name, "what's your last name?"

"Woods"

"Suits you. Birth date?"

"April 24th, 1999"

Clarke's head snaps up, "your birthday's next month" she says.

Lexa nods.

"We have to organise something" Clarke tells her.

"Oh no, it's not necessary" Lexa shakes her head, "I've never celebrated my birthday anyway, it's fine"

"There's a first time for everything" Clarke smiles softly, "do you have an e-mail?" Lexa shakes her head, "I'll create you one, hang on a minute"

Five minutes later, they are back on the facebook page.

"Alright, all that's left to do is take a picture. Considering you don't have any with you, we'll take one now" the blonde says, "if that's okay with you?"

Lexa nods and stares blankly at the camera as Clarke holds it up.

"You can smile you know" Clarke laughs a bit.

"I don't like my smile" Lexa admits.

"You have a beautiful smile" Clarke tells her. Lexa ducks her head, a faint blush covering her cheeks, "alright, ready?" Clarke asks.

Lexa nods and her lips slightly curve upwards in a sweet smile.

"Done" Clarke turns the device around to show the result to the girl, "you like it?"

"I guess" Lexa shrugs.

"I am proud to announce that you, Lexa Woods, are now on Facebook. I offer you my most sincere congratulations" she jokingly bows.

She revels in the laughter that escapes Lexa's lips and sees this as an amazing opportunity to take another picture of the girl.

"Clarke!" Lexa exclaims when she realizes what happened, "delete the picture"

"What? No way. It's an amazing picture" she shows the picture to the girl. On it, a Lexa whose eyes shine with happiness. The brunette doesn't even recognize herself.

"This is me.." she whispers in disbelief, "I look beautiful" she frowns as if it was beyond belief for her that she could look pretty.

"You _are_ beautiful" Clarke tells her, needing the brunette to believe her.

"I'm not but it's nice of you to say this"

"I didn't say this to be nice. I said it because it's the truth"

Lexa doesn't reply. She buries her head in Clarke's pillow and inhales the now familiar scent. Clarke decides to drop the topic for now and lies her head next to Lexa's, pressing her fingers on the screen of her phone a few times.

The ding of her phone alerts Lexa of a notification. She grabs it and clicks on the Facebook app to see the following words written :

 

> _Clarke Griffin wants to be your friend_
> 
> **Accept the invitation**         **Decline the invitation**

She presses on the first option and returns the smile Clarke sends her way, "thank you for being my friend"

Clarke catches hold of one of the brunette's hands and glides her thumb against the back of it, "thank you for being mine" the double meaning of that sentence isn't lost on either of them.

 

 

 

 


	4. The start of something new

 

 

Lexa is anxiously pacing across the room as Clarke prepares both of their bags for school. For the entirety of the weekend, Clarke has explained to her the basics of the school system.

Abby hasn't been as bad as before but Lexa doesn't escape the occasional glare or scowl. She learned to ignore it and is now unaffected by it. The woman might not want her here but she knows two other people do.

"Lexa, relax" Clarke grabs her shoulder to halt her pacing, "you're going to be fine"

"What if people think I'm weird? I'm not good at socializing. Fuck, they're going to think I'm weird"

Clarke is surprised upon hearing Lexa curse and she deduces that it means she really is anxious.

"First of all, you're not weird. And secondly, I'll be with you the whole time. My father has arranged for us to have the same classes and you've already met my friends. They're a bit much to handle but none of them is mean"

Lexa visibly relaxes and Clarke lets go of her shoulders in favor of picking up their bags and handing Lexa hers. The girl accepts it with a _'thanks'_ and they head downstairs to have breakfast.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

"Alright, first we gotta go to the administration office to get you a locker. We have fifteen minutes to spare before class so it should be okay, come on" Clarke slips her hand into Lexa's and sets off on a walk to the priorly mentioned office.

Lexa looks around excitedly, eyes wide, as she takes in the immensity of the building. She looks like a kid in a candy store. She gets a few curious looks from students they pass in the hallway and although she knows it's only because she's a new student, the brunette cannot stop the thoughts that erupt in her mind, telling her it's because they think she's weird or something.

Once everything's been arranged with paperwork for her new locker, Clarke guides her towards it.

"Great! Yours is not too far from mine" Clarke bounces on her heels excitedly, "mine is right there" she points to a locker which is a bit more on their left. Lexa smiles at her and Clarke helps her choose a combination for her locker. Once that is done, they open it and Clarke hands the brunette her schedule sheet so she knows which books she needs and which ones she can put in her locker.

"Clarkey!" They're interrupted by the peppy sound of Raven's voice.

"Hey, Rae" Clarke greets her, "you remember Lexa?"

"Of course I do, what's up?"

It takes a few seconds for Lexa to register that those words have been adressed to her and when she does, she barely manages to utter something that vaguely resembles english words.

"Uhh....I...uh...he-hello..." she awkwardly waves. She mentally smacks her hand against her forehead for how _not_ smooth it sounded.

Raven stares at her blankly for a few excruciating seconds, then turns to Clarke, "I like your friend" she simply says and Clarke laughs.

"Yeah, me too" the blonde smiles at Lexa and grabs her hand, leading them to their first class of the day  _: Math._ **_Fucking great,_ ** Clarke sarcastically thinks.

Clarke spots her seat as well as Raven's then goes over to Monty, the boy who usually sits next to her.

"Hi, Monty" she greets him, Lexa in tow.

"Hi, Clarke. Who's your friend?"

"That's Lexa, she's new here"

Monty waves at the brunette and she shyly waves back, knowing better than to try to use her words. If the interaction with Raven is anything to go by, that probably isn't such a great idea.

Clarke turns her attention back to the boy, "would you mind sitting at the front so that Lexa can sit with us?" she gestures at Raven and herself, "you don't have to of course but-"

"Save your breath. I'll do it" he says, gathering his stuff, "you owe me one" he tells her as he goes to the front.

"I won't forget it" she tells him before dropping on her seat, patting the one next to it, prompting Lexa to sit as well, "ready for the most annoying fifty minutes of your life?" she whispers in the girl's ear, "oh wait no. I forgot. You're a nerd who likes math" she jokes.

Lexa smiles, "it's not math's fault if you don't have the intellectual level to understand it" she responds.

The reply Clarke prepared dies in her throat as her mind catches up with what Lexa just said, "did you just...did you just drag me?" she asks, in shock, a smile quickly forming on her lips.

"What does _'drag'_ mean?" Lexa whispers.

"It means silencing someone with a smartass reply" Clarke tries to explain.

"Then yes, I dragged you" Lexa smiles proudly.

"You're becoming more confident" Clarke points out, "I like it"

Just then, Mr. Pike enters the classroom and all students fall silent. They know better than to defy his authority.

"Take your books page 65, we'll continue on what we started last week" he starts writing on the board and stops when he spots Lexa at the back of the class. He frowns then seems to remember something, "oh, right...class, we have a new student as some of you may have noticed" he rummages through his sheets, "...Lexa Woods, is that it?" he raises his gaze to look at the brunette.

Lexa nods, sinking a bit in her seat under the curious gazes of other students.

"Could you tell me how far along you were at your old school?" he asks and Clarke frowns. **_Aren't the teachers supposed to know Lexa wasn't scholarized before?_**

Lexa stutters, not knowing how to answer that question, too embarrassed to admit her parents couldn't afford school before.

"She knows everything there is to know" Clarke steps in and Lexa throws her a thankful smile.

"Thank you, Miss Griffin but the question was directed to Miss Woods" he looks at the brunette expectantly. Lexa opens her mouth and closes it but no sound escapes her lips.

"With all due respect, you cannot force a student to reply to you if they don't want to" a student chimes in, picking up on the brunette's discomfort.

Pike groans and drops the matter, "whatever" he mutters, throwing a not so subtle glare at the brunette.

Clarke grabs Lexa's shaky hand with her right hand, then picks up her pencil with her left to copy the words now written on the blackboard. They remain holding hands for most of the period and Pike is forced to admit that Lexa knows more than the average student because everytime he passed by her and checked her worksheet, the girl had the correct answer.

The student who spoke up steps forward at the end of class, approaching the group, her eyes firmly locked on Lexa. She waits for the brunette to notice her presence before extending her hand to shake, "hi, I'm Luna" she says.

Lexa hesitantly takes the offered hand, all under Clarke's watchful eyes, "uh..I'm Lexa..and..uh..thank you" she quietly says.

"Anytime and don't worry about Pike. He's all bark but no bite" she says, smiling down at the brunette. Lexa nods and shyly returns the smile before getting up, "if you need anything, you can always come find me" Luna tells her as she walks away, "although I see you already have your personal bodyguard" she grins upon seeing Clarke, standing tall next to Lexa.

"Hilarious, Luna" Clarke smirks at the girl.

"I try" Luna shrugs before disappearing out of sight.

"You okay?" Clarke asks the brunette. Lexa nods, a small smile playing on her lips.

Raven friendly taps her shoulder, "I think you did pretty great for a first class with Pike. Ugh, he's the _worst"_ she throws her head back with a groan, "other teachers are much more chill, you'll see"

Lexa is relieved when she hears that Pike is a singular case and that most teachers aren't nearly as harsh as he is, "what's the next class?" she quietly asks.

"French with Miss Forrest" Finn walks up to them and joins in on the conversation, "hey, babe" he whispers before pecking Clarke's lips.

Lexa's face falls. Of course Clarke has a boyfriend. She feels stupid for thinking someone as beautiful as Clarke would be single. Or interested in her. Raven notices the crestfallen look on the brunette's face and frowns until her eyes light up with realization. **_Shit,_** she thinks, feeling sad for Lexa because unrequited love truly sucks.

As for Clarke, she glances at Lexa after Finn pulls away, instinctively searching for the girl's reaction but Lexa isn't looking at her anymore. The girl's eyes are fixed on the floor and her smile is gone.

"Miss Forrest is cool. You'll like her" Raven tries to alleviate the sudden tension. Lexa's lips curve upwards in an attempt to genuinely smile but Clarke notices how the girl's smile doesn't reach her eyes. She tries to convince herself that the shift in the brunette's behavior has nothing to do with Finn's arrival but it doesn't work and she blames herself for the gloomy look which now adorns the brunette's face.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

She can feel Lexa staring at her.

It's lunchtime and they're all sitting at the same table, Lexa sitting between Raven and Bellamy, facing Clarke, Finn and Octavia. The curly-haired boy keeps flirting flagrantly with the brunette and Clarke hates herself for the feeling of jealousy that it ignites in her. She hates herself because Finn currently has his arm draped over her shoulder and he looks at her with so much love in his eyes while she is daydreaming about a certain brunette and feeling jealous when Bellamy attempts to seduce that same girl. She knows she can't control her feelings but that doesn't mean she doesn't feel guilty for having them.

She cannot keep lying to herself. She undeniably has feelings for Lexa. She won't act upon them though. Too many things keep her from doing so. One, she cannot do this to Finn. Two, she doesn't know for sure that those feelings are reciprocated and three, what Lexa needs right now is a friend and Clarke intends to be just that. However, it doesn't make it any easier to witness someone else showing interest in Lexa.

She holds her fork tighter when she sees Bellamy put his arm around Lexa's shoulders while the brunette squirms a bit in discomfort. The sound of plastic breaking can be heard and everyone looks at Clarke's hand where her plastic fork is now in pieces. Lexa's eyes widen and she reaches out to check Clarke's hand for any injuries. The feeling of Lexa's skin brushing against her own has more effect on the blonde than it should and she retracts her hand abruptly, as if she was burnt by the contact, before hastily getting up.

"Sorry...I have to use the bathroom" she mutters before hurrying out of the room. Finn gets ready to go after her but Lexa's faster. The girl is already out of her seat and heading to the bathroom.

Raven realises then that Lexa's feelings might not be as unrequited as she first thought. ** _This cannot end well,_ ** she thinks to herself.

"What the hell just happened?" Octavia expresses her thoughts out loud.

"I don't know" Raven lies, dejectedly looking at a confused Finn who she knows will most likely end up heartbroken. She is tempted to go after Lexa but remains seated instead, deciding to wait a bit before having a much needed talk with at least one of the two girls.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

"Clarke?" Lexa calls out when she enters the bathroom.

All the stalls are open except for one. She knocks gently against the wooden door. She hears the sound of shuffling for a second, then it stops.

"I know you're in there" she softly says and waits. The click of the lock informs her that the door is now open. She slowly pushes it open, "are you alright?" she crouches down in front of the blonde, "what happened back there?"

 _'I have feelings for you but I shouldn't and seeing Bellamy hit on you made me jealous when I have no right to be because you aren't mine'_ Clarke wants to say but instead she settles for a lie.

"I just needed some space. I'm sorry for worrying you all" she mumbles.

Lexa nods and doesn't point out that a bathroom stall probably isn't the best place to go if you need space for it isn't exactly spacious. She looks around, unsure of what to do now. Luckily, Clarke makes that decision for her when she gets up and holds a hand up for Lexa to take.

She silently leads them back inside the cafeteria and plops down on a seat, this time prompting Lexa to sit next to her instead of besides Bellamy. Raven doesn't miss how they were holding hands as they entered the room.

"Is everything okay?" Finn whispers to her. She hums and resumes eating her lunch, ignoring the curious glances she gets from her friends and instead focusing on the way Lexa's thumb rubs circles on her knee under the table.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

"How was your first day of school, Lexa?" Jake asks when the two girls step into the house.

"It was great" Lexa smiles at the man.

"Who the hell thinks school is great? You're weird" Clarke tells her, pointing a finger at the brunette.

Jake drops his hand on his daughter's shoulder, "not everyone is a lazy brat like you, Clarke" he jokes. Clarke gasps. Lexa giggles at the look of offense on Clarke's face, the blonde placing a hand over her heart in mock hurt, "see?" Jake gestures at the brunette, "Lexa thinks I'm funny"

"No she doesn't" Clarke raises an eyebrow at the girl, daring her to refute her claims.

Lexa's eyes shift nervously between Clarke and her father who both look at her expectantly, waiting on her answer, "uh...I...Clarke is right?" it comes out more like a question than an affirmation but it's enough to please the blonde.

"In your face!" Clarke shouts to her father, a huge grin plastered on her face. She subtly high fives Lexa.

"Whatever. She's biased" Jake says.

"Yeah, right. Stay mad, loser" Clarke sticks her tongue out at him and he laughs at his daughter's antics. Lexa lets out a laugh of her own and yelps adorably when Clarke suddenly yanks at her hand, leading them both towards the stairs.

"Your have an unusual dynamic with your father" Lexa observes as they enter the bedroom.

Clarke rests her back against the headboard and pats the space next to her, "come here" she requests. Lexa sits beside her and Clarke drops her head on her shoulder, "my dad is like my best friend" she explains.

"It must be nice" Lexa says, wishing deeply that she had this kind of bond with her own parents.

"It is" Clarke nods. She notices how Lexa has fallen silent and she raises her head to glance at her. It dawns on her, "..I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that..."

"No, no, don't put a filter on your words just because of me. I'd love to hear about your father" she says earnestly.

"Are you sure?" Lexa nods and Clarke places her head back on her shoulder, "my relationship with my mom has always been kind of strained and it only got worse over the years" the blonde starts speaking.

"I'm sorry" Lexa whispers.

Clarke smiles up at her, "it has reinforced the bond I already had with my father, though. I tease him a lot but I love him more than anything and he knows that"

Lexa rests her head against Clarke's, "I admire you" she admits. Before Clarke can even question this affirmation, Lexa's speaking again, "you just..." she stops to find the right words, "you never complain even though you have it hard"

"I don't have it that hard" Clarke modestly says.

It has never been in her nature to wallow in self-pity. She accepts whatever life throws at her, focusing on positive things and telling herself that things will get better in the future.

"You do, though. You really do. And that doesn't keep you from still wanting to help others"

Clarke contemplates Lexa's words. Wanting to help others has always been instinctive to her. She finds happiness in other people's smiles or laughs and her friends have already advised her to do more for herself instead of always taking care of others but she fears this is beyond her capacities. She has always put other people first and changing that would be hard. Besides, she doesn't want to become the egotistical brat people always assume her to be based on how wealthy her family is. She refuses to let her advantageous financial situation define who she is as a person.

"You underestimate yourself" Lexa says and Clarke finds it somewhat ironic that Lexa's the one to point that out when the girl is unable to see how amazing she is.

"So do you" Clarke says, "you should believe in yourself more. From the short time that I've known you, I can already tell that you are one of the kindest and smartest people I've ever met"

"I'm not smart" Lexa denies.

"Why do you think that?" Clarke enquires.

Lexa stays silent for a moment. They both shift their position on the bed. They are now lying on their side, face to face, "...If I were smart...I wouldn't have told my parents I was gay..."

"You couldn't have predicted their reaction"

"I could have, though. They kept making homophobic remarks...I was just stupid enough to think that they loved me enough to overlook their hatred for gay people" tears appear in her eyes.

"That doesn't make you stupid...that means you always try to see the good in people and I personally think this is incredible"

Clarke reaches out with her hand to wipe the brunette's tears away and Lexa really wants to let herself be comforted by the girl but then she remembers Finn, _Clarke's boyfriend_ , and she pulls away, rolling around. Her back is now facing Clarke thus she cannot see the confusion and disappointment written on the blonde's face. She feels bad for rejecting the girl's offered comfort but she refuses to set herself up for heartbreak. She needs to get rid of whatever feelings she has started to develop for Clarke.

"Lex?" Clarke's quiet voice calls out and Lexa's resolve almost crumbles but she wills herself to keep her back to Clarke, "are you asleep?"

She remains silent, her eyes firmly shut. She hates that she can hear how disappointed Clarke is.

"Did I say something to offend you?" Clarke's voice comes out in a vulnerable whisper and Lexa can't take it anymore. _**Fuck it,** _ she thinks.

She turns around and wraps her arms around Clarke's waist, burying her face into the girl's neck, "you didn't" she reassures the blonde, "you're perfect" she means that more than she should.

Clarke heaves a deep sigh and her hand comes to thread in brown curls, drawing a random pattern on the brunette's scalp. Lexa doesn't want to notice how soothing the motion is or how well their bodies fit together. She doesn't want to notice how good Clarke smells or how smooth her skin is. She doesn't want to harbor those hopeless _-or so she thinks-_ feelings for the blonde girl. **_I'm so screwed,_ ** she dejectedly thinks.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

She tries not to glare at Finn when she sees him the next day, standing beside Clarke with his hand on her hip. She tries but it's useless and from Raven's eyes on her, she can guess that the latina girl isn't oblivious to the looks of longing Lexa throws at Clarke when the blonde isn't looking.

"Can I talk to you?" Raven asks her when they leave their first period. Lexa starts panicking. She tries to think of a reason why she can't but doesn't manage to find any, "I just want to talk. I promise it's nothing bad" Raven tries to reassure her. She waits for Lexa's nod before pulling her apart from the group.

If Raven wanted to make a subtle escape, it is a failure because Clarke saw them distancing themselves. To be fair, Clarke is almost always looking at Lexa and it would be hard to eclipse themselves without having the blonde take notice of it. She frowns when she sees Raven leading Lexa away and wonders what it could possibly be about. She wants to join them and make sure the brunette is okay but before she can do so, Finn is pulling her forward, further down the hallway and the distance between her and Lexa progressively increases.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

"You have feelings for Clarke" Raven says once they're alone, not bothering to beat around the bush.

Lexa blinks once, twice, surprised by how forward Raven is. Her mouth opens to contradict the girl's words but a raised eyebrow silences the brunette immediately. There's no point in denying it seeing as Raven clearly already knows the truth. Lexa's shoulders slump and her gaze shifts to the floor and that's enough confirmation for Raven. She is about to speak but Lexa interrupts her.

"I know...I know...I'll get rid of those feelings. I won't be getting in the way of what she has with Finn.."

"This isn't what I was about to say, actually" Raven says. She explains herself when she sees a frown appear on Lexa's face, "at first I thought your feelings weren't reciprocated but after observing Clarke's behavior, I can tell you with certainty that she feels the same way about you"

"You're wrong" Lexa says, refusing to even entertain the idea of the possibility of more with the blonde. She doesn't want to let herself dare to hope only to be disappointed afterwards.

"You're trying to protect yourself and I get it but the way I see it, Clarke and Finn's relationship has been slacking for some time and you might be exactly what Clarke needs. All I'm asking is that you think about it, pay attention to how Clarke acts around you and you'll see it"

"Why are you encouraging this? Aren't you a friend of Finn's?"

"I am and that's why I don't want him to stay any longer in a relationship that won't result in anything. I love Clarke, I really do, and she's trying to avoid hurting him without realizing that the longer she waits, the more hurt he'll be"

"Why are you telling _me_ all this?" Lexa asks.

"Because Clarke won't do anything if she isn't sure it's worth it. If she isn't sure _you're_ worth it" she presses her index finger against Lexa's chest.

"I'm not worth it" Lexa looks away.

"You are" Raven insists.

"You don't even know me" Lexa argues.

"I know enough" Raven shrugs, "you're worth it but you need to show Clarke that you're interested as well otherwise she won't make a move"

"What you said might be true but I don't want to be the one to break up a couple solely based on the assumption that Clarke likes me back which I find hard to believe, to be honest. I'm sorry Raven but I can't" Lexa walks away.

Raven sighs. **_I need to speak with Clarke,_** she thinks.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

"What did Raven tell you?" Clarke asks when they're sitting at the cafeteria for lunch. They are alone because all the others are busy. Raven and Finn both work together on a chemistry project and Octavia has soccer practice.

"Nothing important. She just asked me if I liked the school and stuff" Lexa lies. Raven's words haven't left her head ever since they were uttered.

"Oh...it just seemed like it was something more important because she took you apart and all that.." Clarke says, waving her hand in the air absentmindedly.

"Yeah...she wanted me to feel comfortable enough to answer and with everyone around..." she trails off, feeling horrible for lying to the blonde but she can't exactly disclose the real topic of her conversation with Raven.

"Oh... well, I'm really glad you're making friends" she genuinely smiles at the brunette before taking a bite of her sandwich, munching happily.

"Me too" Lexa quietly says, picking her sandwich up as well. She hears her name being called and turns around to see Luna waving at her. She waves back with a small smile and watches how Luna walks closer.

"Can I sit here?" The girl gestures to the empty seat next to the brunette.

"Uh..yes, go ahead" Lexa nods, scooting her chair a bit further on the left to make more room for Luna.

"Hey, Clarke" she greets the blonde who waves in return, "so Lexa, you like it here?"

Lexa hums and nods, "people are nice...I guess" she shrugs while munching on her food.

"There are a few dickheads here and there but overall, people are cool. Anyone you like?" Luna wiggles her eyebrows.

"Well, I made a few friends" Lexa responds, missing the real meaning of Luna's question. To be fair, Lexa has always been pretty oblivious to that kind of stuff.

"No" Luna laughs, "I mean anyone you _like_?"

Lexa's eyebrows shoot up and her eyes widen, "Oh..uhm..." she can feel Clarke's gaze on her and she hesitates to say her next words, "well...there is one person.."

Clarke frowns. **_Who could it be?_** She tries to think of all the people Lexa has interacted with so far but none of those conversation really stood out. A strange feeling settles in the pit of her stomach as she thinks of that mistery person and it doesn't take long for her to identify it as jealousy.

"Really?" Luna exclaims excitedly, oblivious to Clarke's internal struggle, "who is it?"

Clarke's ears perk up at that questions and she listens intently, waiting for Lexa's answer. Lexa curses under her breath. She shouldn't have said anything. What is she supposed to say now when the person she is talking about is sitting right next to her?

"Uh...I..just someone" she vaguely answers.

"Mysterious" Luna teases, poking Lexa's cheek, "I like it" she winks.

Clarke frowns at the blush that appears on Lexa's cheeks and without even realising what she's doing, as if out of instinct, she grabs Lexa's hand under the table. Her heart skips a beat when Lexa looks at her and sends her a brief and shy smile.

"Are they hot?" Luna presses on.

"She's beautiful" Lexa has to restrain herself from looking at Clarke while she speaks those words.

"Oooh, so it's a girl" Luna smirks, "that reduces the possibilities" she seems to remember something, "I really hope it's not Reyes because I've kind of had my eyes on her for awhile and I would hate for you to steal her away from me because let's face it, you totally could. You're like freaking gorgeous"

"It's not Raven" Lexa blushes at the compliment.

Clarke isn't surprised at this new piece of information from Luna. She has noticed the lingering stare the girl throws at her best friend. She takes advantage of that to change the topic of conversation, feeling uncomfortable discussing Lexa's mistery girl.

"You should ask Raven on a date" she tells Luna, "she would say yes"

"You think so?" Luna asks, unsure. Clarke nods, silently answering Luna's question. Luna grins, "gotta go score a date. Thanks, princess" she ruffles Clarke's hair, getting up.

"You know I hate when you call me that!" Clarke shouts.

"Which is exactly why I do it!" Luna shouts back, smirking. Lexa giggles at that, "bye, gorgeous" she winks at Lexa before turning around and leaving.

"She's cool" Lexa says, trapping her tongue between her teeth as she grins.

"She's a pain in the ass" Clarke argues. She smiles when the melodious sound of Lexa's laughter reaches her ears.

"Since when do you know her?" Lexa wonders, sinking her teeth into the straw of her drink.

"You look so much like a kid right now" Clarke remarks, pointing at the way Lexa is adorably sipping on her orange juice, "and to answer your question, I've known her since I was five. Our fathers are best friends and we've always gone to the same school"

Lexa hums into her straw, taking in the new piece of information, "what about Raven and Octavia?"

"I met them at summercamp when I was eleven. That's when we realised we lived in the same city and that we would all go to the same school the next year. We've been inseparable since then"

"That sounds nice" Lexa's eyes bore into blue ones and Clarke feels like the girl is looking right into her soul. She moves her gaze to the table, shying away from Lexa's intense stare.

"It is" she smiles down at the table, "they can be a bit much but they're the absolute best. You'll see"

"And the other two?"

"Bellamy and Finn?" Lexa nods, "I don't really know Bellamy. He only hangs out with us occasionally because he's Octavia's brother. And I've met Finn last year. He was in my class"

Lexa nods and stays silent for a few seconds before speaking again, "thank you, Clarke"

"What for?" Clarke raises her head to look at her.

"I don't know...everything" Lexa breathes out, "taking me in...and being so nice and then even introducing me to your friends..I don't know what I'd do without you"

Those words go straight to Clarke's heart and a huge grin splits her lips, "good thing you have me then" she places her hand on top of Lexa's.

Lexa turns her hand in Clarke's and boldly links their fingers. She relaxes when Clarke seems to accept the action.

"Wanna go somewhere more quiet?" Clarke asks, an eyebrow raised as she gets up.

Lexa shuts down the sudden images that erupt in her mind. Images of Clarke leading her in an empty room and kissing her until they both run out of breath. Images of their bodies molding together as their hands wander, touching each bit of skin they can reach.

"Lexa?" Clarke snaps her fingers in front of the girl's eyes to snap her out of her thoughts.

"Hm? What?" Lexa blushes, ashamed at her own thoughts.

"You're coming?" the blonde outstretches her hand. Lexa nods and takes the offered hand in hers.

Soon they are sitting under the bleachers. The soft breeze smacks against their faces as they finish their lunch in a comfortable silence.

"So...you're interested in someone" Clarke ends up saying. She might not like the idea of Lexa being interested in someone who isn't her, as selfish as it is, but that doesn't stop her from being curious to know.

Lexa scratches the back of her neck, trying to think of a way to get herself out of this. She doesn't want to lie to Clarke and give the name of someone she doesn't have feelings for but admitting her feelings for the blonde is too scary.

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me who it is. I get it if you don't trust me enough to-"

"I trust you" Lexa whispers barely audibly, cutting Clarke off.

"What did you say?" Clarke asks to make sure she hasn't heard wrong.

"I trust you" Lexa replies more loudly, locking her eyes onto Clarke's, "I just...I'm sorry.."

"Don't worry. You don't have to tell me" she pats Lexa's knee, "maybe that person likes you back" she tries to say it as cheerfully as she can master but it still comes out a bit empty.

"I hope so" Lexa whispers, "but it's unlikely"

"What? Why?" Clarke frowns, "who wouldn't be interested in you? I mean, you're sweet and smart and beautiful" Lexa has no idea how much Clarke truly means that.

"It's nice of you to say this but it isn't true" Lexa takes a bite of her sandwich.

"Of course it's true. What do I need to do to prove to you that I mean what I said?"

"There's nothing you can do" Lexa dejectedly says and Clarke's heart shatters. She wishes she could just tell the brunette right now how she makes her feel but unfortunately, it isn't that simple. Instead she scoots closer and wraps her arms around the girl, holding her close.

"You think too lowly of yourself. You're an amazing person" she whispers when she pulls back.

"Not amazing enough"

"Wh-who put that idea in your head?"

"Everyone...I've never been enough for my parents, never been able to make friends no matter how hard I tried...I've always been the outcast. The weird girl who doesn't go to school and wears worn-out clothes because her family is too poor to buy her new ones...do you know how hard it is to be rejected by all the kids at the playground for something you didn't choose and have no control over?" she raises her voice slightly out of frustration, "not going to school only made it harder for me to fit in. I didn't have regular contacts with people my age" before she knows it, Lexa's crying, "I'm not like all of you..I don't have all those friends and people who encourage me to be better and who tell me that they're proud of me when I accomplish something. I'm just the freak who doesn't know how to socialize. Your mom didn't even need to know me before accusing me of wanting to hurt you and steal from you. I guess that's just the kind of vibe I sent off"

"First of all, you do have friends" Clarke argues, "you have me, Raven and Luna" she grabs both of the girl's hands, "second of all, you're not a freak. You're a beautiful person who needs to learn how to love herself" she brushes her thumbs against the brunette's knuckles, "and please, don't let what my mom told you get to your head. She has no idea what's good for me"

"She's right. I'm just abusing of your kindness"

"God Lexa, stop. Haven't you listened to a word I just said?" Clarke asks, getting frustrated, "I'm not offering my help out of pity. I'm offering it because I like you and you deserve to be surrounded by people who care about you"

"You care about me?" vulnerability seeps into Lexa's tone as she voices her question.

"Of course I do. You're my friend, Lexa"

Lexa smiles and wipes at a few unshed tears, "thank you" she whispers, dropping her head against the blonde's chest.

"There you are!" Finn's voice rings through the air, startling both girls.

Lexa quickly pulls away from Clarke, looking everywhere but at the intruder. Finn, as for him, doesn't seem to pick up on the awkwardness of the moment as he sits beside Clarke and grabs her hand, intertwining their fingers. Clarke wants to pull her hand away when she sees the look of hurt that passes over Lexa's features but she's painfully aware that she cannot do so without raising Finn's suspicions.

"I'll go" Lexa gets to her feet and in a quick movement, brushes the dust off of her pants.

"You don't have to" Clarke tells her, feeling guilty for indirectly being the reason Lexa feels the need to step away.

"It's fine, Clarke" Lexa assures her although it is anything but. Her chest feels tight and it seems to her like her heart is being crushed. Despite that, she puts on a fake smile and waves before walking away with a heavy heart.

"Is she okay?" Finn asks Clarke once Lexa's out of earshot.

"I don't know..." Clarke sighs as she watches the brunette's retreating figure, "I don't think so" she drops her head in her hands and breathes deeply.

"Are _you_ okay?" he then asks, sensing that something is wrong.

"I will be" she knows it's a vague answer but that's all she can give him. At least it isn't a lie.

She can see he wants to question her further but he seems to decide against it. She breathes a small sigh of relief because she doesn't feel herself the heart to make up an excuse for her sudden sour mood.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

"Lexa!" A male voice yells and Lexa has to refrain herself from rolling her eyes when she see Bellamy approach, "weird seeing you here all alone. I bet you'd like some company" he smirks.

 ** _No. Not yours, anyway,_** Lexa thinks. Instead of voicing her thoughts, she stays silent and picks up her pace, hoping it'll convince him to leave her alone. She isn't in the mood for his flirtatious comments.

"Woah, hold on. You're going too fast. It's almost like you're trying to flee me" he laughs.

 ** _I am trying to flee you, dumbass._ ** She rolls her eyes but keeps her mouth shut.

"I was thinking we should do something together sometime" he gives her one of his most charming smile _-or at least he thinks it is charming-_ , "we could go see a movie or something. Is Saturday okay with you?" He seems so confident that she'll agree. It makes Lexa feel uncomfortable. The vibe he gives off makes her feel unsafe.

"I'm not interested" she turns him down.

"Wh-what?" He laughs, "this is funny. I almost thought you turned me down. So Saturday?" he keeps on trying despite her refusal.

"Not interested" Lexa reiterates.

He grabs her wrist, "what do you mean you're not interested? I'm Bellamy Blake. _Everyone_ is interested"

"Not me" she struggles against his grip, "let go of me"

"Not until you tell me the real reason you won't go on a date with me"

"I told you. _I'm not interested_ " she whimpers when he tightens his hand around her arm, "you're hurting me"

"Blake!" A yell echoes in the distance, "you're going to get your hands off of her right now or I'll personally make sure you don't have hands anymore" Luna threatens.

His hand lets go of Lexa's wrist and already Lexa can see a red mark forming on the space his hand occupied mere seconds ago.

"Whatever" he mumbles, "this isn't over. I'll get what I want" he points a finger in Lexa's direction.

Luna strides towards her and lifts her wrist to check the damage, "are you okay?" as her eyes shift upwards, she notices the tears running down Lexa's cheeks, "hey, don't cry" she wipes at her tears, "he's not worth it"

"It hurts" Lexa lets out in a whimper, refering to her wrist.

Luna gently takes it in her hands and brushes her thumbs over the reddening skin, "I have some healing cream at my place if you want. It's not that far. We can go there and come back before lunch break is over" Lexa nods and follows her outside, falling into steps with the girl.

It takes them less than five minutes to reach the girl's house and soon, the brunette is sitting on a stool in Luna's bathroom while the girl applies cream on her bruised wrist.

"Thank you, Luna" Lexa whispers. It feels nice to have people who have your back. Usually Lexa doesn't like to depend on anyone but she's willing to make an exception if only for the feeling of safety she gets from being surrounded by friends.

"Anytime, green eyes" Luna winks, "come on, let's get you back to your girl"

" _M-my girl?_ " Lexa stutters.

"Clarke" Luna clarifies, "she's your mistery girl, isn't she?"

"H-How did you..." Lexa trails off, mouth slightly agape.

"You're not that sneaky, Lex. I've seen the way you look at her. I would have to be blind not to see it"

"It doesn't matter. Clarke is not my girl" Lexa looks away.

 _'But you want her to be'_ are the words that are left unsaid.

"Well, she looks at you the same way you look at her. I say, go for it. What's stopping you?"

"She has a boyfriend" Lexa points out.

"That doesn't mean anything" Luna says, "I'm not telling you to go over and kiss Clarke. Just saying you shouldn't rule out the possibility of something with her"

Lexa mulls over her words. This is the second time today that someone has encouraged her to pursue Clarke and her uncertainty is higher than ever. Her heart is telling her to follow their advice but her head is screaming at her to not be so unreasonable, "I can't" she sighs.

"Suit yourself" Luna shrugs, "I still think you're missing out on something that could be great but it's your choice. I won't force you to do anything"

Lexa nods in thanks.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

"Lex!" Clarke shouts, running towards the brunette, "I was looking for you. Where did you disappear to?"

"Oh..uh..I just.."

"Bellamy hurt her and I took her to my house to apply some cream" Luna answers.

"He hurt you? Where?" Clarke furrows her brows as her eyes scan Lexa's body, searching for any injury. Finally her eyes land on the girl's wrist and blue orbs widen. She gently grasps Lexa's wrist, "I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you"

"I don't need your protection" Lexa harshly says, pulling her arm away as her features harden. Clarke tries to mask the hurt she feels at the action.

"I know...it's not what I meant..I just- I feel so helpless right now" the blonde looks down to her feet.

Lexa's eyes soften and she tilts Clarke's head up by placing her fingers on the girl's chin, "you have already helped me more than you can imagine. Let me figure out the rest on my own, okay?" Clarke nods and Lexa drops her hand.

Luna watches the whole interaction, a knowing smile etched onto her lips. She wonders how long it'll take them to realize that no matter how hard they try to ignore them, they can't escape those feelings.

 

 


	5. After every storm comes a rainbow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a slightly shorter chapter but I wanted to get one out today. I hope you'll like it!

 

 

"You what?" Clarke asks, jaw hanging.

"I invited Finn over for dinner" Abby shrugs, "you haven't brought him over for at least two months. He's a nice, young boy and I would like to get to know better the boy who stole my daughter's heart"

Clarke wonders why her mother now tries to act like she cares about her daughter's life. It just all seems very sudden.

"You're acting as if I'm going to marry him" Clarke mumbles.

"Why not? He's sweet and comes from a wealthy family. Unlike this Lexa girl" Abby practically spits out the name.

"There it is" Clarke laughs humorlessly, "you only want me to be with him because he's as rich as we are. What do you have against Lexa? What is it about unprivileged people that you hate so much? Do they make you uncomfortable because you don't know how to keep yourself from saying offensive things when you're around them?! It's not their fault if you're a privileged bitch" Clarke spits the words.

The blonde's head flies to the side as Abby slaps her, "go to your room and think about what you just said. Finn will come over tonight. End of the discussion"

"You know, sometimes I actually let myself hope that I'll get my mom back one day but you keep proving me that the person you once were is gone forever" Clarke drags her feet upstairs, fuming, and drops on the bed, her movements followed by Lexa's curious eyes.

"Is everything okay?" She quietly asks.

" _Fucking great_ " Clarke seethes, "my mom is so blinded by her privileges that she doesn't realise she's being a total ass to everyone and on top of it, she invited Finn over for dinner"

"Aren't you happy that Finn is coming?" Lexa voices her thoughts, "I mean...because he's your boyfriend and all.."

Clarke turns to look at her, "I'm starting to think he shouldn't be" she confesses in a whisper.

"Why?" Lexa cannot help the slight undertones of hope that seep into her voice.

"He's nice, you know...basically perfect but when I'm with him..I don't feel anything...like there's no butterflies, no tingles...nothing" a deep sigh escapes her lips, "I don't know what to do..."

"I can't make that decision for you.." Lexa says.

"I know...I know" Clarke puts a hand over her eyes, "can you come here?" she asks.

Lexa hesitates, then moves onto the bed, lying next to the blonde. She jumps slightly in surprise when arms wrap around her middle and Clarke's face drops in the crook of her neck. The little puffs of breath which escape Clarke's lips come tickling her skin.

"Thank you" the blonde whispers into the brunette's neck, sending shivers through the girl's body.

"I didn't do anything" Lexa laughs. Clarke's heart melts at the melodious sound.

"You're a pretty good listener" Clarke says, shifting her head so that it's now resting on Lexa's chest, "your heart is beating really fast" she points out.

"Oh..well...uh yeah.." Lexa stutters.

Clarke laughs and closes her eyes, "you're cute" she whispers before falling asleep. Lexa's heart rate quickens, her heart threatening to jump out of her chest.

She brings a hand up to tangle her fingers in blonde hair before letting herself drift to sleep as well, exhausted from the hectic rhythm of school.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

"Girls" Jake shakes them awake, smiling to himself as he takes in the position he found them in. Clarke's body is draped over Lexa's and their legs are so tangled that it would be difficult to tell where each girl begins and ends.

Clarke groans in protest, keeping her eyes closed, content to stay in Lexa's arms forever. Unfortunately, her mind catches up with the situation and she begrudgingly opens her eyes to see her father standing over them, a smile on his lips.

"Dad? What are you doing here?" she asks, rubbing her right eye.

"Finn is here and your mother is waiting for you to come down but it seems you girls are pretty comfy here" he chuckles.

Clarke's eyes widen and she gets off Lexa, unintentionally waking up the girl.

"Wh..what?" the brunette hoarses out in an adorably sleepy voice.

"Cuddle time is over" Jake jokes, grinning at the red color that takes over Lexa's cheeks, "time to eat" he ruffles the brunette's hair then leaves.

Lexa smooths out her now disheveled hair. Clarke laughs at the pout on the brunette's face.

 

 

\----------------

 

 

"You look amazing" Finn compliments Clarke as she and Lexa come down the stairs, "... _Lexa?"_ he is surprised to see the girl here.

"Uh...yeah...Lexa's living with us" Clarke explains.

"It's only temporary" Abby cuts in and Clarke shoots daggers at her with her eyes. Lexa looks like she'd rather be anywhere but here right now and quite frankly, Clarke shares the feeling.

They all sit at the table and Abby immediately engages the conversation, not wasting any minutes, "so Finn, your dad told me you wish to go to Harvard"

"Yes, ma'am. I wish to study law to eventually become a lawyer, I hope" he smiles as he expresses his plans of a future.

"Oh I'm sure you'll be an amazing lawyer, isn't that right Clarke?" Clarke hates that sickenly sweet tone her mother always takes when they have guests. It's all so fake and cringy.

"Yes mom" Clarke gives her a fake smile.

"You see, Clarke here will be a surgeon later" Abby continues.

Jake's hand stills and he looks at Clarke with a knowing look. He knows being a surgeon isn't his daughter's dream. Abby knows that too, she just deliberately chooses to ignore it. Clarke doesn't even correct her mother anymore. She's tired of having that argument over and over again. Now she just lets Abby pretend her daughter wants to follow in her footsteps.

Lexa frowns. It is unlike Clarke to be so quiet. The blonde usually always has something to say. She hates that Clarke's mother can have such a negative impact on her daughter. If the blonde's dejected face is anything to go by, she clearly doesn't want to become a surgeon. Now the question is why is nobody correcting Abby then? Is this common occurrence for the older woman to plainly lie about her daughter's interests?

Finn doesn't seem to realize the shift in the mood and he raises his eyebrows in surprise, turning to look at Clarke, "really? That's great, babe. I'm sure you'll be a great surgeon" he places his hand over hers.

Lexa wants to roll her eyes at how oblivious the boy is as to what are Clarke's real feelings on the topic. He has good intentions but they are clearly misplaced.

The blonde's lips form a small smile as she looks at Finn and Lexa notices how it doesn't reach the girl's eyes. Her eyes search the blonde's and when they find them, she sends Clarke a sympathetic smile, wordlessly offering even the slightest bit of comfort to the girl.

Abby's smile is firmly held in place as she stares at Finn, seemingly very pleased with herself, "I hear you're also on the football team" she continues.

"Indeed. I'm the team captain, ma'am" he nods.

 ** _What a fucking cliche_** , Lexa rolls her eyes once again. It seems like she'll be doing a lot of that tonight.

"Oh aren't you just wonderful?" she praises him, "Clarke, sweetie, why don't you bring this lovely young man over more often?"

 ** _Because you always act like that when I do_** , Clarke thinks but doesn't dare voicing her thoughts, "I don't know" she simply says, dropping her fork on her plate, "I need to use the bathroom, excuse me" she lies, needing to get some air, her mother's oppressive presence causing her throat to constrict similarly to the way the tight grip of a hand on her neck would choke her.

She splashes water onto her face and takes a few deep breaths to calm herself. She doesn't want to go back there. She can't go back there. The door opens and to her surprise, it isn't Finn standing at the threshold. It's Lexa.

They stare at each other for a few long seconds, then Lexa quietly closes the door behind herself. She silently steps closer and pulls Clarke closer to her, enclosing her arms around the girl. She hears the shaky exhale of breath that Clarke lets out and her heart breaks for the girl. No one deserves to be treated like this. Like some sort of prize that you proudly wave around in front of your friends to impress them, then throw away when you're done using it.

She feels Clarke's body tremble against her own before she even hears the girl's strangled sob. She holds the girl tighter against herself and breathes through her nose to calm herself. It's all she can do to not go off on Abby, telling her exactly what she thinks of her.

"I'm so tired of this" Clarke whispers, her voice cracking, "it's like she just doesn't care about me"

Lexa lets her talk. She knows what it feels like to have this need to empty your bag. So she lets Clarke rant about her mother without interrupting the blonde, without promising her things will get better because truth be told, she has no idea what will happen next. She doesn't pretend she has the ability to make things better either. She just holds the girl for it is all she can do at the moment.

"I'm tired of fighting with her. It's like I'm having a conversation with a damn wall. She never takes anything I say into account. Things always have to go her way and if they don't, she ignores the problem, pretends my opinion doesn't exist and I still want the same things she does. I _don't_ want to be a fucking surgeon!" she raises her voice slightly.

"Clarke?" Jake's voice calls from the other side of the door, "can I come in?"

Clarke sniffles, "yeah, yeah you can" she croaks out, not bothering to disentangle herself from Lexa. The girl's arms feel nice around her and she's not willing to give up that comfort just yet.

"I'm really sorry about this, sweetie. And Lexa, I wished you didn't have to witness this" he apologizes. He walks closer and puts his hand on the back of Clarke's head, brushing his thumb over her scalp.

"I'm used to it" Clarke shrugs.

"That doesn't give her the right to act like that" Jake argues, frowning.

"You and I both know there's nothing we can do about it"

Jake sighs and thinks more and more that divorcing Abby would be the better course of action for him but mostly for his daughter's sake. Over the years, Jake has witnessed how Clarke's happiness has decreased and he knows it is due to her mother's overcontrolling attitude. Not a day passes by without Abby making her feel like she's not good enough. To Jake, Clarke is everything he has ever wanted her to be. She's passionate, talented, beautiful and caring. He couldn't be prouder of the person she has become and he just wishes his wife would share his opinion. He has also taken notice of how Clarke seems to be altogether happier lately, the shifting point being when they decided to take Lexa in. He has no doubts those two things have a correlation.

He watches now as Clarke holds onto the girl as though letting go would mean losing her forever and he smiles to himself. He isn't dumb. He knows that Clarke doesn't look at her other friends the way she looks at Lexa. The brunette is special to his daughter. In the short time they've known each other, the girls have created a bond and he believes they can only grow closer now. If it ever comes down to it, he would choose Lexa over Abby in a heartbeat in regards to who gets to stay with them because the young girl undoubtedly makes Clarke happy and Jake values his daughter's happiness more than anything.

"Do you want me to ask Finn to leave?" Jake asks.

"He's still here?" Clarke's surprised by this information.

"He's awkwardly standing in the living room. The poor boy has to put up with your mom's questions" Jake informs her.

"Oh god" Clarke sighs. She begrudgingly pulls away from Lexa's embrace and gets on her tiptoes to leave a kiss on the brunette's cheek, "thank you" she whispers before going back to the living room.

"Lexa?" Jake calls her attention, grinning from ear to ear.

"What?" Lexa replies distractedly, still trying to get over how soft Clarke's lips felt against her cheek. She can't help but wonder how they would feel were they pressed against her own lips.

"You're blushing" Jake teases and it only manages to make her blush even harder.

"I'm not" she denies, ducking her head as she walks past the man who seems rather amused by the situation.

"Let's pretend I believe that" Jake says, laughing.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

"Clarke! You're back!" Finn exclaims in a high-pitched voice, clearly happy to have a reason to escape the blonde's mother.

Clarke nods but keeps her distance. She sees her mother glaring at Lexa and places herself in front of the girl in a defensive manner.

"I hope you enjoyed dinner, Finn" Clarke says with her best fake smile, "it's getting late. I should drive you back home" Finn is smart enough to nod, knowing from Clarke's look that refusing isn't an option.

The blonde leads them outside and groans when she hears her mother shout _'come back whenever you want, Finn!'_

"You never told me you were planning to become a surgeon" he says once they're sitting in the car.

"It's because I don't want to be a surgeon" she deadpans.

Finn frowns, "but your mom said th-"

"Yeah well, she lied" Clarke cuts him off as she rounds the corner.

"Why would she lie about that?" Finn presses on.

"Can we not talk about this?" Clarke tries to contain her annoyance but bits of it can be heard in her voice. The list of people she's willing to discuss her mother with is extremely short. It's basically just her father. **_And Lexa,_** she realises. She wonders when exactly Lexa made it onto that list.

Finn stays silent for the rest of the ride and doesn't say anything when Clarke turns her head as he bends to leave a kiss on her lips. He settles for kissing her on the cheek and hopes that whatever the blonde is upset about doesn't have anything to do with him and will eventually pass because he would really like having his girlfriend back.

When she gets back home, Clarke silently pushes Lexa onto the bed and drops on top of the girl, burying her head in the crook of her neck and breathing in the now familiar scent of the brunette.

"Did something happen?" Lexa questions, a bit flustered by this sudden but surely not unwelcome display of affection from Clarke.

Clarke shakes her head, her nose brushing against the skin of Lexa's neck, "sorry...I just really need this"

Lexa nods and doesn't ask her to explain any further. She simply brings her right arm to wrap around the girl, her fingers traveling up and down her spine.

"Is this our thing now?" Lexa asks, smiling.

"What is?" Clarke mumbles.

"Well... _cuddling_..." Lexa quietly clarifies.

"It could be" Clarke shrugs, letting a smile of her own escape, "I like it"

Lexa hums and drops her chin on the top of Clarke's head which is moving up and down as Lexa breathes.

"I'm about to fall asleep on you again" Clarke sleepily warns, her eyelids drooping.

"I don't mind" Lexa assures her.

She smiles to herself when, only a couple minutes later, the endearing sound of Clarke's light snoring reaches her ears. She really hopes it becomes their thing now.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

 _"That's so freaking cute, oh my god"_ Lexa faintly hears as she slowly awakens.

She blinks a few times to adjust her eyes to the light of the room. Through her still hazy vision, she can make out Raven and Luna standing over the bed, gushing while smiling widely. Raven is holding her phone up, seemingly having taken a picture not too long ago. Lexa's eyes widen and she wants to get up but Clarke's weight prevents her from doing so. The blonde seems to be sleeping peacefully and Lexa doesn't want to wake her up thus she remains unmoving.

"Holy shit" Luna coos, "this is _so_ cute. She's not moving because she doesn't want to wake her up" she cackles in laughter.

 _"Shut up"_ Lexa mumbles.

"That's so fucking gay" Raven laughs and the sound startles Clarke who groans before opening her eyes.

"What the fuck?" She grumbles sleepily, rubbing the sleep off of her eyes, "hey" she whispers with a smile when she sees Lexa. She then hears some snickering behind her and freezes. She slams her eyes shut and prays that the people standing behind her are not who she thinks they are.

"Uhm...Clarke.." Lexa tries to warn her.

"It's Raven and Luna, isn't it?" Clarke asks, not really wanting to know the answer to that question. Lexa sheepishly nods and Clarke gets off of her and turns around, groaning when she sees Raven standing with her phone in hand while Luna is smirking in their direction.

"That was incredibly adorable, princess" Luna teases her.

 _"Stop calling me that"_ Clarke mumbles, blinking away the remnants of sleep.

"I pity Lexa, honestly" Raven smirks, "you were crushing the poor girl"

"I'm not that heavy!" Clarke throws a pillow in their general direction but it misses its target by at least three feet. She huffs when they laugh at her and turns to look at Lexa instead, "did I really hurt you?" She asks more quietly to Lexa, afraid the brunette really had been crushed under her weight.

Lexa quickly shakes her head, "you didn't, don't worry"

Raven erupts in a fit of laughter which is echoed by Luna.

"What's so funny?" Clarke asks, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"So fucking gay" Luna says through her laughter, holding her stomach.

"Fuck off, Luna" Clarke mutters. Lexa is blushing heavily and Clarke is not faring much better.

It takes a couple minutes for Raven and Luna's laughter to finally die down.

"Anyways" Raven says, trying to control her laughter, "we did come here for a reason"

Clarke raises an eyebrow, waiting for them to elaborate.

"I'm throwing a party tomorrow. You two are invited of course" Luna announces.

Lexa's eyes widen at the mention of a party. She's never been to one. She's not even sure she knows what it consists of. Well, except that there will be alcohol, _a lot of it._ Lexa's never drunk any alcohol, except wine but it doesn't really count. She doesn't exactly want to risk finding out she's a lightweight by getting drunk in front of people she barely knows.

Clarke senses how tense the girl suddenly became and she places her hand on top of Lexa's, "you don't have to go if you don't want to. You know that, right?"

Lexa nods and thinks it over for a few seconds, "do _you_ want to go?" she asks Clarke.

Clarke is taken aback. She wasn't expecting her opinion to be taken into account in the girl's thought process about whether or not she'll go to the party, "only if you go too" she tells Lexa.

Luna makes a whip motion with the sound that goes with it and gets a glare from the blonde who quickly redirects her attention to Lexa.

"Will you stay close to me during the party?" Lexa quietly asks.

"I won't leave you alone. Not even for a second. I'll be by your side the whole time" she tries to reassure her.

Luna and Raven both wonder how Lexa is still so oblivious to Clarke's feelings for her when the blonde keeps blatantly showing how much she cares for the girl.

"Okay" Lexa whispers, smiling down at her hands which are picking at the hem of her shirt.

"Okay?" Clarke wants to confirm she heard that right.

Lexa nods and lets out a soft smile. Her smile then drops, "will Bellamy be there?" she asks Luna.

"He won't, don't worry. You won't see any of us hanging out with him after the shit he's pulled at school. This party is supposed to be fun and we don't want you to feel unsafe" Luna assures her, dropping a hand on her shoulder in a reassuring gesture.

"Thank you" Lexa whispers.

"Of course" Luna winks, "now that this is settled, care to explain why we found you cuddling in the middle of the evening?" she smirks.

Clarke groans as she buries her head in her pillow while Lexa turns beet red and looks away as the two other girls laugh at their obvious embarrassement.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

Luna leaves about thirty minutes later, saying she has a family thing she needs to attend to but that she'd see them at her party tomorrow. She ruffles Lexa's hair affectionately, ignoring the girl's complaints.

"Why does everyone always ruffle my hair?" the brunette grumbles, rearranging her brow curls.

"Cause your hair looks perfect and we're jealous" Luna winks. She bends down to leave a kiss on Raven's lips and waves goodbye at Clarke before leaving the room.

Clarke turns to look at Raven who doesn't look so confident anymore, "so...you and Luna?" she raises an eyebrow, her smile growing by the second.

"Oh..uhh..yeah.." Raven scratches the back of her neck, "it's kinda new"

"You like her?" Clarke asks.

"I really do" Raven confirms, grinning widely.

"I'm happy for you, Rae" Clarke mirrors the girl's smile and Lexa can't help but let a smile of her own slip at seeing her new friend so happy.

"Thanks, Clarkey" Raven shyly says. It's rare to see Raven acting so shy and Clarke enjoys every second of it, "we need to find you guys something for the party" Raven clasps her hands together, not so subtly changing the topic.

Clarke lets it happen, knowing her friend generally doesn't like to talk about her feelings and the blonde leads the three of them into her dressing room.

"Your dressing room is fucking huge" Raven low-whistles. It's not the first time she's been here but it leaves her astounded everytime.

"Don't tell me about it" Clarke sighs and feels Lexa's hand slip into hers.

"Oooh, you have to wear this!" Raven exclaims, holding up a low-cut dark blue shirt which will definitely show off the blonde's cleavage, "with this" she hands her tight black pants.

"Do I have a choice?" Clarke archs an eyebrow.

"Of course not" Raven says as if it was obvious, "what about you?" the girl wonders aloud, looking at Lexa while rubbing her chin pensively, "got it!" she says, disappearing into a closet. She emerges from it a few seconds later, holding a black crop top, a red flannel and black pants.

"That's not really-"

" _Nah-ah_ , put this on" Raven cuts Lexa off, throwing the clothes in the poor girl's hands. Clarke laughs at the terrified look on Lexa's face and shoves the girl into the bathroom, curious to see what she looks like in the clothes Raven handed her.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

 _"Holy shit"_ are Clarke's first words as her eyes rake up and down Lexa's body to stop on the girl's stomach.

"Damn, the girl's got killer abs" Raven says, clearly having no filter for what comes out of her mouth.

And yes, Clarke has _definitely_ noticed the perfectly shaped abs that adorn the brunette's stomach. She feels hot all of a sudden.

Lexa crosses her arms in front of her stomach, feeling self-conscious under the two other girls' stares.

"Don't cover it up" Raven says, "you're hot"

"Shut up, Raven. You have a girlfriend" Clarke says, feeling slightly jealous of the way Raven unashamedly ogles Lexa. Maybe more than just slightly jealous.

"Relax, Clarke. I won't steal your girl" Raven winks, laughing at how flustered her two friends look.

"She's not my girl" Clarke says, _"sadly"_ she then mumbles only for herself to hear.

"Well this was fun but I gotta go" Raven announces. She gathers her stuff and bids them goodbye before walking out of the house, leaving the two girls alone once again.

"I'll just.." Lexa says, motioning to the bathroom to signal Clarke that she'll go there to get changed.

"Sure, sure...go ahead" Clarke says. She drops on the bed with a heavy sigh once Lexa's in the adjacent room, "what am I doing?" she mutters as she brushes a hand down her face.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

"I just don't get it" Lexa sighs, "what's the point of this thing?"

After successfully creating a Facebook account for the brunette, Clarke has set herself the goal to introduce the girl to the amazing world of Twitter. One small problem, Lexa doesn't seem very receptive to it.

"It allows you to interact with people who share your interests" Clarke explains.

"So basically, you speak with strangers" Lexa concludes.

"No, well...yes but it's not like you're going to stumble across some pedophile. Most of the people who use twitter are young"

"You're telling me that everyone is kind and fun to talk to?" Lexa archs a apprehensive eyebrow, finding that hard to believe.

"Well, no. There are of course a few asshole but that's just like real life. They're pretty harmless really. They just lack in the intelligence area"

Lexa chuckles a bit and takes the phone from Clarke's hands, looking dubiously at the Twitter app, "okay" she whispers.

"Yess" Clarke fistbumps the air, starting off on creating an account, "alright, we have to find you a username" she grins, already trying to think up funny pseudonyms, "how about, _killerabs_?"

"Or you could just write _LexaWoods_?" The brunette suggests.

Clarke hums, feigning considering it, "I like my idea better" she says before getting up abruptly, already typing it out on the keyboard.

"What? No! Give me the phone" the brunette tries to catch the phone but Clarke raises her arm, holding the device out of reach.

"Nope" she grins, trapping her tongue between her teeth.

"Claaarke" Lexa whines, getting on her tiptoes but failing at getting a hold of the phone. She gets an idea.

"No...wait, no! Lexa!" Clarke shouts when the girl starts tickling her sides.

They fall on the bed as Clarke's laughter rings through the room, "no! Not there!" She says through her laughter.

Lexa straddles the blonde to get better access to her hips, then swiftly steals the phone away from the girl who is now panting beneath her. They stare at each other for a few long seconds, their chest heaving as they catch their breath, getting lost in each other's eyes. You could cut through the sudden tension with a knife.

Clarke is the first to look away, clearing her throat as she does so and it seems to pull Lexa out of her trance. The girl gets off of Clarke with a mumbled apology and focuses on the phone in her hand to avoid having her thoughts stray away to how arousing it was to have Clarke beneath her or how much she would like to capture the girl's lips with her own. She coughs to get rid of the sudden tightness in her throat and fumbles with the phone, completing her inscription to the social network, "now what?" she quietly asks, not daring to look at Clarke.

Clarke clears her throat once more, "uh..well now you follow the people whose tweets you'd like to see" she says, following some random accounts to begin with.

"You...you _follow_ people?" Lexa's eyes widen, "Clarke, that's a bit creepy" she comments and it helps dissipate the previous tension in the air.

The blonde laughs, "god no, not like that" she shakes her head, smiling widely at how literally Lexa always takes things, "it's the twitter word that means subscribing to someone's account"

"Oh" Lexa flushes red, "that makes sense" she whispers. Clarke laughs and her heart is about to explode because of how adorable Lexa always is. The girl isn't doing it on purpose, Clarke knows that, but it seems like everything the brunette does ends up being cute.

Her laughter is slowly dying down when Lexa points to a tweet and frowns, "did this person fall onto their keyboard when they wrote that?" she asks, confused.

Clarke looks at the screen to see what she's talking about and erupts in another fit of laughter when she sees what Lexa's talking about.

 

 **Yu gonplei ste odon** _@clexasheda_

_djdkhrjrhkfr this is so funny_

 

"Why are you laughing? I'm confused" Clarke's stomach is starting to hurt with how hard she's laughing right now. Lexa flushes red, "stop laughing, Clarke" she pouts.

"I'm sor-" she stops to catch her breath, "I'm sorry" she says before laughing again.

"I am very unamused by this" Lexa crosses her arms in front of her chest.

Clarke tries to get her laughter under control but Lexa's pout isn't making it easy. She breathes deeply through her nose to calm herself, then takes Lexa's hands in hers, "don't ever change" she tells her with a small chuckle.

"Will you finally tell me what was so funny that you had to laugh at me for two whole minutes?" Lexa asks, unimpressed.

"I'll let you figure it out yourself, I think. I love how clueless you can be" she smirks.

"That's not fair" Lexa grumbles.

"Who said I'm trying to be fair?"

"No cuddling for you tonight" Lexa says, turning on her side so that her back is facing Clarke.

"What? _Come on,_ Lex" Clarke tries to reach out for the girl but the brunette slaps her hand away, "rude" Clarke says with a smile.

"You're the rude one"

"Are you upset?" Clarke asks, needing to make sure.

"....no" Lexa admits.

"Can I have my cuddles then?"

"No" Lexa says and Clarke can hear the smile in her voice. She groans and turns off the lamp, before turning on the small lamp of her desk, remembering Lexa doesn't like to sleep in complete dark. She then lies back down next to the brunette.

"Can I-"

"No" Lexa cuts her off and chuckles when she hears Clarke's frustrated huff.

"You can't resist me. You know it" Clarke jokes.

Lexa laughs, "you're not that important"

Clarke gasps, placing a hand over her chest, "I'll let you know that I am _highly_ offended"

Lexa giggles and turns around to face Clarke, "good" she smiles, greatly enjoying this little playful banter between them.

"You're mean" Clarke accuses, a grin plastered on her lips.

"You deserve it" Lexa counters.

"False"

"True"

"Because I'm a gentlewoman, I'll let you have this one" Clarke relents, drawing another giggle from Lexa, "if I tell you I'm scared, would that convince you to hold me?" she asks.

"Maybe" Lexa bites her lip.

"Lex?" the brunette hums in reply, "I'm scared"

Lexa lets out a full-blown laugh and Clarke thinks this is the most beautiful sound she's ever heard, "no, you're not"

"Are you calling me a liar?" Clarke asks.

"This is exactly what I'm calling you" Lexa nods solemnly.

"Then it is my duty to inform you that you are greatly mistaken. I am an honest citizen"

"I find that hard to believe"

"You wound me" Clarke places a hand over her heart.

"Do I? And how can I make it up to you?" Lexa asks and Clarke grins knowing she's gotten the girl exactly where she wanted her.

"Some cuddling sounds like a good enough way to redeem yourself" she says as nonchalantly as possible.

Lexa hums as though pondering the proposition then nods, "alright" she says, scooting closer and draping her left arm over Clarke's stomach while resting her head on the girl's shoulder, "is this okay?" She asks, breaking character.

Clarke hums, "it's more than okay" she says, rolling a brown curl around her index finger, "you have beautiful hair" she whispers.

"I hate it" Lexa reveals, "it's so messy"

"It's beautiful" Clarke argues, threading her fingers into the girl's curls.

"If you say so" Lexa relents, sighing contentedly at the feeling of Clarke's fingers stroking her hair. It's silent for a few seconds before Lexa speaks again, "your mom is a fool to not see how amazing you are" she whispers.

"She's not totally wrong. I can't seem to do anything right..."

"You're kidding, right?" Lexa asks, "have you seen the paintings on your walls? You're like.. incredibly talented" she praises.

"You think so?"

Lexa nods, her cheek brushing against Clarke's shoulder as she does so, "I know so" she smiles, "would you draw me one day?" she sleepily asks.

"I'd love to" Clarke smiles, "Now sleep"

Lexa hums, _"m'kay"_ she mumbles before letting sleep take her. She almost misses Clarke's next words.

"I'm glad I met you, Lexa"

 

 


	6. Every ending is a new beginning

 

 

Lexa wakes up to a tickling feeling on her nose and squints her eyes open to see Clarke, standing over her, a feather in hand. She scrunches up her nose and turns her head to the side as she sneezes.

"Your sneeze is cute too" Clarke coos, "is there anything about you that isn't adorable?"

"I've been told I look awful when I'm sick" Lexa jokes.

Clarke laughs, "really?" she questions.

"No but I'm sure it's true" Lexa smiles.

"I doubt it" Clarke tells her, "I think you'd still look pretty with a runny nose and a sweaty forehead"

"Think again" Lexa says, drawing another laugh from Clarke.

Clarke jumps from the bed and throws Lexa's newly bought clothes at her face, "get dressed. I'm taking you out"

"You're... _taking me out?_ " Lexa repeats, thinking she must have misheard that. ** _Like...on a date?_  **she asks herself, her heart rate quickening.

"I'll give you a tour of the city" Clarke explains, rummaging through her wardrobe in search of an appropriate outfit for the day ahead.

"Oh" Lexa can't help but feel disappointed that Clarke meant it as nothing more than a friendly hang out, "okay" she gets up and heads to the bathroom to get changed.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

"How do you not get lost?" Lexa asks, looking around the busy streets of the city center, "there are so many differents streets"

"You get used to it after a while" Clarke shrugs, stopping in front of a movie theater.

Lexa bumps into Clarke's back because she was too busy looking around to notice the blonde had stopped walking, "sorry" she whispers, taking a step aside, "why are we stopping?"

"I thought you could use a break" Clarke explains, "wanna see a movie?" Lexa's eyes light up and she eagerly nods. Clarke hums in thought while looking at the selection of movies, "it's almost 2.30 so we can either see The Beauty And The Beast...oh there's also La La Land" she points at it.

Lexa unintelligibly mumbles something.

"What did you say?" Clarke asks.

"Can we go see Moana?" Lexa hides her face behind her hands after speaking the words.

"You...you wanna go see Moana?" Clarke's smile grows by the second.

"It's just...I saw the trailer yesterday and it looked interesting....forget it" she looks away.

" _No!_ No, I'd love to go watch Moana with you" Clarke assures her.

"You're just lying to make me happy, aren't you?"

"I'm not. Come on, let's go" she tugs at Lexa's hand, pulling her forward, into the movie theater.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

Lexa can feel the employee judging them as he hands them the tickets, looking her up and down, "aren't you two a bit too old to go see that movie?" the teenage boy smirks.

Lexa wants to crawl underneath the surface of the earth and hide there for the rest of her life with how embarrassed she feels right now. Clarke squeezes Lexa's hand and fixes the smug boy with a glare, "you can never be too old for Disney" she tells him, snatching the tickets from his hand, _"so fucking rude"_ she mutters as they walk away.

Lexa boldly turns around and flips him off. Clarke's eyes widen when she sees it, _"Lexa Woods"_ she whispers, "I think I have a bad influence on you" she jokes, grinning widely. Lexa giggles and blushes a bit, proud of herself but also wondering where that sudden courage came from.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

Clarke smiles when she sees that the best seats aren't taken yet.

"Ladies first" she smiles, letting Lexa sit first.

"You're also a lady" Lexa points out, frowning.

"Shh" Clarke briefly places her finger over Lexa's lips, "let me be a gentlewoman" she grins. Lexa smiles back and sits quietly. Clarke places their popcorn on the floor because knowing herself, she'd probably eat all of it before the movie even starts.

"I've never been to the movies" Lexa admits.

"Never?"

The brunette shakes her head, "I've always wanted to, though" she turns her head to smile at Clarke, "thank you"

Clarke smiles softly and intertwines their fingers, shutting off her brain which is currently yelling at her that this dangerously feels like a date.

They make small talk as they wait for the movie to begin. The room becomes dim as the commercials start rolling.

"Alright, next commercial will be a car commercial" Clarke whispers in Lexa's ear.

"How do you know?" Lexa frowns.

"I don't" Clarke shrugs, "just guessing"

"Well, I think it'll be a perfume commercial" Lexa challengly archs an eyebrow.

"Oh, you're on" Clarke grins as they wait for the screen to choose a winner.

It takes a few more adds but eventually, the first to be shown is a perfume commercial and Lexa jumps gleefully in her seat, "I won" she grins at Clarke, sticking her tongue out.

The blonde mirrors her smile then huffs, "don't look so smug" she says.

"Clarke?" Lexa whispers, still smiling.

"What?"

"I won" Lexa's grin widens.

Clarke slaps her shoulder lightly, "I get it, you won and I lost. Are you happy?"

Lexa traps her tongue between her teeth and nods happily, "very happy" she confirms, "what is my price?" she raises a perfect eyebrow.

"I don't know. What do you want?"

 ** _You,_** Lexa thinks. An idea then pops up in her mind and she extends her cheek, tapping her finger against it. Clarke understands the girl's silent request and blushes as she leans forward, holding her weight by placing her forearms on the armrest. She approaches her lips of Lexa's cheek and leaves a soft kiss there, lingering for a couple seconds, leaving them both slightly flustered. Their eyes connect and time stills as blue bores into green. Lexa's lips part slightly as her gaze falls to pink lips while Clarke's eyes follow the movement. The brunette swears she can see Clarke leaning closer and she does as well, excruciatingly slowly.

The sudden noise of a phone ringing loudly behind them startles them and makes them jump apart. Lexa looks away while Clarke clears her throat and both girls are left wondering if they have imagined the other leaning in.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

The tension dissipates after some time and Clarke laughs when she sees Lexa mouthing the words to the song _'How far I'll go'_

"How do you even know the lyrics?" She asks, impressed.

"I might have listened to it a couple times last night" Lexa shyly admits.

"Only a couple times?" Clarke archs an eyebrow.

"A little more than a couple times" Lexa whispers, ".....okay _a lot more_ than a couple times" she confesses when Clarke still looks at her disbelievingly.

"I knew you'd be a Disney nerd" Clarke smiles, readjusting herself in her seat.

Lexa doesn't bother disagreeing with that because she knows those claims to be true. When she was little, she owned only two disney movies _-Mulan and Aladdin-_ and would watch them back to back.

Clarke drops her head on Lexa's shoulder and the brunette tries to stop her heartbeat from quickening. She fails.

Clarke raises her hand to feed Lexa some popcorn and her breath hitches when the brunette's lips briefly make contact with her fingers as they close around the popcorn. She drops her hand and is thankful for the darkness of the room which prevents her blush from being seen.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

"Did you like the movie?" Clarke asks when they get out of the room, already kind of knowing the answer to that question.

"I did" Lexa smiles, "thank you, Clarke"

"No need to thank me" Clarke says, "I like hanging out with you"

"Me too" Lexa murmurs, fumbling with the sleeves of her flannel.

"It's getting late" Clarke says when she glances at her watch, "we should go back home"

Lexa nods and falls into step with Clarke. Her hand is hanging to her side, mere inches from Clarke and it takes all of her self-restrain to not reach out and link their fingers together. Clarke is in the same state and eventually, she decides to stop thinking and to just go for it. She inches her hand a bit to the left, her little finger brushing against Lexa's. She looks up to gauge the brunette's reaction before cautiously intertwining their fingers. She gets a smile in return and heaves a sigh of relief upon understanding that the contact isn't unwelcome.

They enter the packed subway and end up nearly pressed against one another as a result of how crowded it is. After a few minutes, the subway pulls to a sudden stops and Lexa's hands grasp the first thing they can reach in order to maintain her balance. If her hands happen to grab Clarke's breasts in the process, it is purely accidental.

"I'm so sorry!" Lexa shrieks, retracting her hands immediately, blushing profusely.

Clarke is stunned into silence, replaying in her mind the feeling of Lexa's hands against her chest. She is torn between wanting to laugh and wanting to grab Lexa's hands and place them right back where they were mere seconds ago. Eventually she decides on the former and explodes in laughter, finding the situation hilarious.

Lexa frowns, "are you laughing at me?" she asks, slightly offended.

Clarke keeps laughing, "sorry, sorry it's just-" she cackles in laughter, "you're so fucking weird" she says. She sees Lexa's face fall and hurries to rectify her words, "I don't mean that in a bad way" she assure Lexa, "but you're like the only person I know who would hold onto someone's boobs to keep her balance. Well, except Raven, this is totally something she would do"

"I didn't do it on purpose" Lexa mumbles, cheeks heating up quickly, settling on holding onto one of the metal bars, not wanting a repeat of what just happened.

"You should have seen your face" Clarke laughs.

"It's not funny...I thought you were mad at me" Lexa's shoulders slump and she looks down at her feet as she speaks.

"I could never be mad at you" Clarke honestly tells her. In Clarke's mind, Lexa's the kind of person who can do no wrong. She is convinced the girl would never purposely attempt to hurt anybody.

The subway stops and they get off, completing the short walk to Clarke's house. Abby stops them when they're about to walk up the stairs.

"Where were you, Clarke?"

"Not that it's any of your concern but I was giving Lexa a tour of the city"

"You have to tell us when you leave the house" Abby says.

"I don't" Clarke argues, "I'm almost seventeen therefore I'm perfectly capable of handling myself"

"Do you have any idea how worried I was?! You were gone without any warnings and you wouldn't respond to your phone" Abby stalks towards them.

Clarke scoffs, "worried?" she laughs humorlessly, "you've never been worried about my well-being. You just care about keeping up appearances. Don't fret, I'll still go to your monthly galas and pretend we're the perfect family everyone believes us to be"

"Go to your room. I don't know what's gotten into you lately but I don't like it one bit"

"I was already going to my room" Clarke points out, rolling her eyes, "and what you see now, that's the real me so if you don't like it, you can stop pretending you care about me right now" she spits out, getting frustrated.

"Clarke" Lexa whispers softly, "let's go" she gently tugs on the blonde's hand.

 _"You"_ Abby points a finger at her, "this is all _your_ fault" she accuses, "I don't what you've done to my daughter but she wasn't like this before she met you" she advances dangerously close to the brunette.

Clarke wishes her father was here right now. Unfortunately, Abby works odd hours and Jake is already asleep. She knows her father would know what to do now. Lexa too, wishes the man was here.

"Stay away from her" Clarke places an arm in front of Lexa, shielding her before leading them upstairs, turning to adress a few more words to her mother, "you can yell at me all you want, you've been doing this my whole life, but don't you ever dare attack Lexa physically _or_ verbally" she says before disappearing, not waiting to hear her mother's reply.

"Clarke" Lexa tries to catch her attention to no avail, the blonde is already buried under the covers, only her forehead being visible.

Lexa tries to pull the blanket off of the blonde's body but Clarke grabs it and places it back over herself. Lexa huffs, slips under the covers and grabs the blonde's hand, "what's on your mind?" she softly asks, moving her head closer to the blonde so that now only a few inches separate them.

"I feel like every conversation I have with my mom is the same" she sighs, enjoying the feeling of Lexa playing with her fingers.

"I'm sorry" Lexa whispers. She believes now that it isn't in any way her fault but she still feels the need to apologise.

"I'm getting used to it" Clarke shrugs.

"But you shouldn't. You shouldn't have to get used to something like that" Lexa insists, "your mother is the one who needs to get her head out of her ass and apologise for all the shit she's pulled"

"I don't think I've ever heard you curse that much" Clarke comments.

"Your mother brings out that side of me, no offense"

"None taken" Clarke assures her, "will you stay with me like this for a little bit longer?"

"Whatever you need" Lexa whispers, closing her eyes and squeezing Clarke's hand.

"Thank you" Clarke murmurs before scooting closer, grasping Lexa's shirt with her fists.

Lexa hesitantly brings one arm to circle around Clarke's waist, "it'll be okay" she whispers.

She gets a hum in response as Clarke nuzzles her neck with her nose, making goosebumps appear on the brunette's skin. **_This girl will be the death of me,_ ** Lexa thinks to herself.

"I'm really glad I have you, Lex"

Lexa doesn't speak for a little while, then breaks the newfound silence, "me too" she murmurs and feels Clarke smile against the skin of her neck.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

"Wow..." Lexa breathes out almost inaudibly when Clarke emerges from the bathroom, wearing the clothes Raven picked out for her.

Clarke grabs her car keys and her jacket, "ready to go?" Lexa nods, "you look really good by the way" Clarke says, looking her up and down.

Lexa looks down bashfully, "thanks" she mumbles.

"Let's go" Clarke says, grabbing Lexa's hand. The brunette doesn't know when it has become a habit for them to hold hands as they walk but she surely isn't complaining about it.

The party is going full-swing when they get there. Sweaty teenagers dance to loud music in the living room while others are drinking outside, in the backyard. They enter the house and are immediately pulled aside by a tipsy Luna.

"Hey! I'm glad you're here!" she quickly hugs them both, "you look amazing, Lexa"

"Thanks, Luna" Lexa smiles, "you look good too"

"What about me?" Clarke asks, fishing for compliments.

"Meh" Luna shrugs, "I've seen better" she smirks. She's lying. Clarke looks hot and they both know that but she would never admit it.

Clarke gasps in mock offense and Lexa leans closer to whisper in her ear, "I think you look great"

Clarke grins, "thanks, Lex. That's why I like you"

"Ugh, kiss already" Luna groans, causing both girls to blush heavily, "useless lesbians" Luna mutters.

"I'm bisexual" Clarke points out, annoyed.

Lexa's eyes light up at this new piece of information. **_So I have a chance,_ ** she thinks then shuts down the idea when she remembers that Clarke isn't single anyway.

"I know, princess" Luna pinches her cheeks, "I'm just teasing you"

Clarke swats the girl's hands away, "don't touch my face" she says before leading Lexa to the kitchen and opening one beer for each of them, handing one to Lexa. She sees Lexa look at it dubiously and laughs, "it's just a beer" she says, "definitely not gonna get you drunk if that's what you're worried about"

Lexa hesitates a few more seconds before closing her fingers around the bottle and taking a chug of it, "it's actually good" she says, surprised.

Clarke laughs, "some beers taste like shit but those ones are pretty good, I agree" she clinks hers with Lexa's before bringing it to her lips, "wanna go outside?" she asks the brunette.

Lexa nods and follows Clarke to the backyard. They sit on lounge chairs and sip quietly on their beers as the noise of the party fills their ears. They can hear some yells as some boy manages to sink the ping pong ball into a cup of the opposite team during their beer pong game which is happening about ten feet away from them. They hear the faint sound of the music blasting through the speakers on the other side of the sliding glass door.

The cold breeze hits Lexa's face and she shivers, being painfully reminded that she forgot to bring a jacket. She sees Clarke move from the corner of her eye and seconds later, a jacket is being handed to her.

"Here" Clarke says, holding it up.

"Oh no, it's yours" Lexa refuses.

"And I'm giving it to you. Come on, you're cold" Clarke waves the jacket in front of her, "take it" she insists.

"I'm not cold" Lexa lies.

"Tell that to the goosebumps on your arms" Clarke smirks and gets up to drape the jacket over Lexa's shoulders.

Lexa's hands grab it to keep it from slipping off her shoulders and she sends the blonde a thankful smile, "thank you, Clarke"

She gets a smile in return and watches as Clarke drops back in the chair. She is tempted to reach out and grab the blonde's hand but doesn't have the guts to do so. Instead, she clasps her hands together and watches as people bustle around, drinking from red cups and cheering on the beerpong players.

"It's different than I expected" Lexa says.

"Different how?" Clarke raises an eyebrow.

"Less...out of control, I guess....it's nice" she reveals, taking a chug or her beer.

"Woods!" Raven yells, throwing herself on Lexa's lap. Lexa yelps at the sudden added weight and her arms hang awkwardly at her sides, "you look good"

"Uh...t-thanks?" Lexa stutters out.

"You're crushing her, Rae. Get off her lap" Clarke tells the latina girl through gritted teeth.

"Easy, tiger" Raven chuckles as she rises to her feet, "I won't steal your girl away from you" she winks then joins Luna a bit further down the yard, softly kissing the girl's cheek and slipping an arm against her waist.

Clarke blushes and brinks her beer to her lips, _"whatever"_ she mumbles. She makes a split second decision and gets up before settling herself on the brunette's lap, "I was cold" she lies to justify this sudden move.

Lexa seems to buy the blonde's excuse and she wraps her arms around Clarke's waist, "is this okay?" she whispers in the girl's ear, her breath tickling her skin. Clarke hums and lets herself enjoy the feeling of Lexa's arms around her and of their bodies pressed close together.

"Babe!" Finn shouts from his seat at a table, "come here"

Clarke shakes her head. She promised Lexa that she wouldn't leave her side. She sees Finn sigh and watches as he gets up to join them. He frowns a bit upon seeing the position they're in, then plops down on the seat next to the two girls and pats his leg, prompting Clarke to sit there.

"Sorry" Clarke whispers to the brunette as she moves from Lexa's lap to Finn's. The boy also wraps his arms around her waist but it feels wrong. She suddenly feels like she has no personal space anymore. She catches sight of Lexa awkwardly sitting on her chair, picking at a loose strand of her pants to distract herself.

Finn starts kissing her neck and Clarke squirms in discomfort. The boy is a bit drunk and way more touchy than he usually is. Lexa looks away, feeling highly uneasy with having to watch the boy's public display of affection. It only reminds her that she wants to be able to touch Clarke this way but she can't because Clarke isn't hers to lo ** _\- like,_** she corrects herself.

"Finn, stop" Clarke pushes on his chest to force his lips to disconnect with the skin of her neck.

"Why not?" he frowns, not understanding this sudden rejection, "you've been acting weird lately" he remarks.

"I...I'm just not in the mood" she says.

"It seems like you never are these days" he says dejectedly before gently pushing her off of him and walking away. Clarke drops her head in her hands and lets out a long sigh. Logically she knows what she has to do but she's not ready for the inevitable hurt she'll cause to the boy.

She feels a hand on her shoulder and looks up to see Lexa smiling softly at her, eyes filled with understanding and unspoken words of reassurance. Clarke gives her a small smile back. It is strained but it's all she can master right now. Lexa grabs her hand and pulls her up before guiding her to sit back on her lap. Clarke wordlessly does so, positioning herself so that she is facing the brunette. She circles Lexa's neck with her arms and drops her head in the girl's neck, breathing in the familiar scent of the girl.

"We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to but I'm here if you ever need someone to hear you out" Lexa murmurs. She tightens her hold on the blonde's waist when she feels her shiver. Clarke leaves the softest kiss on the brunette's neck and Lexa would think she dreamed it was it not for the tingles on her skin.

"Thank you" Clarke whispers.

They stay like this for a little while, too wrapped up in each other to notice the knowing smiles on Luna and Raven's faces or the confused look on Finn's features as he stares at them from afar.

"I'll get you another beer" Clarke tells her when she sees Lexa emptied hers.

As soon as the blonde is gone, Finn approaches Lexa, taking a seat in the chair next to hers. Lexa shifts uncomfortably in her seat.

"Has Clarke told you anything recently?" he asks, "did she say anything about me?"

Lexa's mouth opens but no sound comes out of it, she scratches the back of her neck and her eyes flee Finn's inquisitive gaze.

"I just..." Finn sighs, "I feel like maybe I've done something wrong, you know? But she won't talk to me and I just...if you know anything then you could tell me so maybe I could fix whatever it is that needs to be fixed and we could...we could be like before" he says wistfully.

Lexa feels like a terrible person right now. She guiltily looks away as she speaks her next words, "..uh..no, she...she hasn't really said anything.." it's a lie but she refuses to speak on Clarke's behalf.

"Oh...okay" he seems disappointed, "thanks though" he smiles and leaves.

Lexa rubs her face with her hand and puts on a smile when Clarke returns with their drinks, settling back onto the brunette's lap.

"Everything okay?" Clarke asks, sensing a shift in the brunette's demeanor. Lexa nods, pushing her recent conversation with Finn to the back of her head, deciding to forget about it for now.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

Most people are already back inside when they all hear the loud slam of a door against the wall and snap their heads to the side to see Bellamy, standing in the hallway, more than slightly drunk, a bottle of vodka in hands. Lexa tenses up next to Clarke upon seeing him.

"Why is he here?" Clarke glares at Luna who shrugs.

"I swear I didn't invite him. He must have overheard people talking about it" Luna says, anger growing inside her.

"What' you lookin' at me for?" Bellamy shouts at a random girl.

Luna pushes her way past people to get to the boy, "get out of my house" she snarls.

"Or what?" he smirks.

"Or I'll get you out myself" she warns.

"As if you could" he shoves her aside and strides towards Lexa, _"you"_ he points a finger in her direction, "come with me" Clarke places herself in front of Lexa, shielding her with her body, "stay out of this, Clarke" he forcefully gets her out of his way.

He is about to close his fingers around Lexa's wrists when a fist collides with the side of his face, sending him to the ground.

Lexa stares in shock at the person who landed the punch. It is a girl with dirty blonde hair who looks slightly older than the rest of them. The girl cracks her knuckles, "damn, that kinda hurt" she whispers with a smirk before smiling at Lexa who is still stunned, "I'm Anya" she introduces herself, extending her hand.

Lexa hesitantly raises her hand to shake Anya's, "t-thank you" she stammers out.

"Anytime" Anya smiles before placing both hands under Bellamy's armpits and dragging him outside, cheered on by other party-goers. She jokingly bows when she reenters the house, smiling widely, "thank you, thank you"

"Who is this?" Clarke asks.

"That, is my wonderful cousin" Luna clarifies, "she can be a bit much too handle but she's really amazing" she smirks, "you'll like her"

"I'm sure I will" Clarke nods. The girl helped Lexa, therefore Clarke already holds her high in her esteem.

"You're okay there?" Anya asks Lexa. All the brunette manages is a slight nod and another mumbled _'thanks'_

Octavia says goodnight to everyone, telling them she'll bring her asshole of a brother home, "come on, you idiot" she tells him when she pulls him to his feet and all but pushes him towards her car, "sorry about him" she tells Lexa before climbing into the car and driving away.

"Alright, I don't know about y'all but I'm not letting this dipshit ruin the party" Anya announces loudly. She gathers a few cheers and the party is back on, people dancing in the living room while others get a refill in the kitchen.

Lexa is pulled aside by the older girl. She nods at Clarke, silently reassuring her that she'll be fine and the blonde leaves them alone, joining Raven and Luna at the beerpong table.

"What's your name?"

"..Lexa"

"That's a beautiful name" Anya hums, "care to explain what exactly happened with that dude back there?" she softly asks.

Lexa picks at her short nails, "I turned him down and apparently the great Bellamy Blake doesn't get turned down so now he's mad"

Anya laughs, "what a prick" she shakes her head, "if you ever need help, you can always ask me" Anya raises her beer before taking a chug of it, "although you look like you could hold your own in a fight"

Lexa shakes her head, "oh no, I don't know how to fight" she says.

Anya raises an eyebrow, "wanna learn?" Lexa frowns, not fully understanding the offer, "my family owns a gym. I work there. I could teach you a thing or two in self-defense"

"I don't have any money" Lexa says, embarrassed.

"I'll do it for free" Anya shrugs, "you seem cool and if I can help you feel a little less scared when you have to face that asshole, I won't hesitate"

"I...I don't know what to say"

"You could start by thanking me" Anya smirks.

"Thank you so much" Lexa whispers.

Anya takes out a pen and a small notebook from her back pocket and scribbles something, "here's the adress of the gym. Come by whenever you want. I usually work on Saturday afternoon and if I'm not here, Nyko will be there. He's cool. A bit intimidating at first but he's just a softie really. Don't tell him I said that though"

Lexa nods, smiling widely, "thank you" she reiterates.

"Anytime" Anya lightly punches her upperarm before disappearing down the hallway. Lexa grips the piece of paper tightly, smiling down at it.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

The number of people present lessened considerably over the last hour and there are now only 10 people left ; Lexa, Clarke, Raven, Luna, Finn, Anya, Monty, Jasper, Harper and a girl from Luna's chemistry class named Costia. They are all sitting in a circle after Raven suggested a game of _'truth or dare or drink'_. Lexa is reluctant at first but ends up agreeing with some prompting from Clarke and the promise that she would only be served beer or soft drinks. A bottle is placed in the middle to choose the person who plays.

Raven grabs it and spins it. Each head turns to Clarke when it lands on the blonde.

"Truth or dare, Clarkey?" Raven wiggles her eyebrows.

"Stop calling me that" Clarke mumbles, "dare"

Raven hums in thought, "I dare you to take off your top for the rest of the game"

"Seriously?!" Clarke huffs but lifts her top over her head anyway, "jerk" she mumbles

"Yess, Griffin!"

"Shut up, Jasper" Clarke snaps.

"Rude" Jasper slumps back, arms crossed.

Next to Clarke, Lexa is having great difficulty keeping her eyes from drifting to the blonde's ample chest. She isn't sitting very far from the girl and can feel her cheeks heat up from the proximity she has with Clarke's bare skin.

Clarke spins the bottle and it lands on Luna, "dare" the girl chooses.

"Alright...I dare you to swallow the entirety of your drink at once"

"Easy" Luna says, emptying the content of her drink in record time before spinning the bottle.

Each head turns to look at Costia when she is the one on the other end of the bottle. Apart from Luna, nobody really knows who the girl is. That will be a way to get to know her.

"Truth" Costia replies. She waves off the booing she gets because of it, "fuck off" she laughs.

"If you could kiss anyone in this room right now, who would it be?" Luna asks, sipping on her drink.

Costia scans over the group, then stops her eyes and points at Lexa, "the pretty brunette over there" she winks.

Lexa blushes and Clarke grips her drink tighter as a few people low-whistle. She doesn't like the way Costia's currently looking at her Le ** _\- at Lexa,_** she corrects herself.

"I dare you to do it right now" Jasper says over the others' voices and Clarke feels Lexa tense up beside her.

"No way, Jasper" Raven slaps the back of his head, "stop being a perv"

"Ow!" He rubs the back of his head, "this is bullying. I will not stand for this" he whines.

Clarke drowns out their voices as she tries to keep her jealousy at bay. She can see how Costia devours Lexa with her eyes and doesn't like it one bit.

"Griffin" Raven's voice pulls her out of her thoughts, "truth or dare?"

"Me again?" Clarke huffs, "dare"

Costia takes a minute to think of a question she can ask, "kiss someone. Anyone in this circle"

Clarke feels Lexa's stare on her and if Finn wasn't already moving forward so she could kiss him, maybe she would have found the courage to press her lips against the brunette's. Instead, she kisses Finn and avoids Lexa's eyes afterwards.

"Boring" Anya says, sensing that this boy isn't Clarke's first pick. She gets closer to Raven to whisper in her ear, "are Clarke and Finn together?"

"Yes" Raven whispers back.

"Then why has blondie been throwing heart eyes at Lexa since the beginning of this party?" Anya archs an eyebrow.

"It's...it's complicated" Raven says.

Anya hums, "looks like it" she raises her drink to take a sip. She sees that the bottle has landed on her and levels Clarke with a stare, "dare"

"I dare you to run around the house naked" Clarke smirks.

Anya's smile falters briefly but she then looks at Clarke with a raised eyebrow, "alright, blondie" she walks towards the door and gets rid of her clothes, setting off on a quick run, ignoring the screams and hollers from other people.

"Is this normal?" Lexa asks, eyes wide.

Clarke shrugs, "somebody always ends up running naked around the lawn. At least it won't be me this time"

"It was _you_ once?!" Lexa's eyes widen even more. She both feels horrified and regrets she wasn't there to see it. She immediately berates herself for having such filthy thoughts.

Clarke nods, laughing at the expression on Lexa's face, "not a good experience"

Anya is being handed her clothes back and she quickly puts them on, "y'all better show some respect after this" she gestures at them with her index finger before sitting back and grasping the bottle.

Lexa's eyes widen when it stops on her, "uh...t-truth?" she stutters out.

Anya smirks, having already prepared her question, "who do you find the most attractive out of all the people here?"

Both Costia and Clarke straighten their backs upon hearing the question, hanging to Lexa's lips, both very interested to hear Lexa's answer to this.

Lexa's eyes shift between the faces of all the people who are intently staring at her. She stares down at her hands as she speaks, "...Clarke" she mumbles inaudibly.

"What was that?" Anya smirks, cupping her ear.

"Clarke" Lexa repeats louder, keeping her eyes fixed on her own hands thus she doesn't see the look of disappointment and anger that takes over Costia's face nor the way Clarke hides her grin behind her drink.

Lexa spins and it lands on Finn. He chooses dare and she struggles to come up with anything. Clarke whispers something in her ear and Lexa blushes heavily as she repeats the words, "make out with a guy in this room"

 _"What?!"_ Jasper and Finn exclaim at the same time.

"Not fair" Jasper pouts, "there's only two other guys here. Dude, you better drink, I'm not making out with you" he points a finger at Finn.

"Guess I'll just have to make out with Monty then" Finn shrugs.

"Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I'm attracted to you, dude. Stay away from me" Monty says, drawing a laugh from the rest of the group.

"Fine. I'll drink" Finn pouts as he downs the rest of his drink.

Clarke's head drops to Lexa's shoulder and Lexa leaves a kiss on the crown of her head while Clarke grabs her hand and pulls it into her lap to play with the girl's fingers. Clarke is still very much topless and Lexa's cheeks redden at that realization.

"There's definitely something happening there" Anya whispers to Raven.

"Tell that to those two oblivious idiots" Raven replies, shaking her head.

The game continues but Clarke doesn't pay much attention. She closes her eyes and listens to Lexa's soft breathing. That is until she hears the brunette's name being called.

"Dare" Lexa says, telling herself that she can still drink if she doesn't want to do it.

Raven smirks and Lexa tells herself that she probably won't like whatever's about to come out of the girl's mouth, "pick someone who has to make a body shot off you"

"A body shot?" Lexa raises an eyebrow, not familiar with the term.

Clarke blushes as she whispers in Lexa's ear, explaining what it consists of.

"Oh" Lexa's cheeks turn red.

"You don't have to do it" Clarke whispers.

"I'll do it" Lexa says, taking a big breath, "I can do it. I'll do it" she repeats to herself.

Raven smiles widely, "who do you pick?"

 ** _Shit._** Lexa forgot about that. She nervously looks around the circle, unsure of what to do.

Costia is about to volunteer when Clarke speaks up, "I can do it. Would you want that?" Lexa nods and Costia huffs, crossing her arms in front of her chest as she glares at Clarke.

Raven moves from her position to get the necessary items. She comes back, grinning, with a shot of tequila, a sliced lemon and some salt. Clarke puts her shirt back on, not wanting to make it more awkward for the brunette than it already is. 

"Sit here" Clarke pats the dining room's table. Once Lexa's sat on it, she holds up the lemon, "close your teeth on it" she instructs, "relax" she brushes her hands up and down Lexa's arms, "are you sure?" she asks one last time.

When she gets a nod of confirmation from the brunette, Clarke tilts her head and licks from Lexa's collarbone, along the length of her neck, leaving goosebumps on the brunette's skin in her wake. She takes the salt and coats the now wet area of Lexa's skin with it. Cheers get louder behind them as Clarke attaches her lips to Lexa's neck once again, sucking the salt off the brunette's skin. Heat shoots straight to her center when she hears a strangled moan from Lexa and the brunette's hand shoots up to tangle in her hair.

"That's fucking hot" Jasper whispers, earning himself another smack behind the head from Raven.

Clarke's tongue darts out as she sucks lightly on the girl's pulsepoint, licking the remnants of salt there. She has to pull away from the girl before she loses control and latches completely onto the girl's neck. She takes the shot in her mouth without using her hand and throws her head back, swallowing it all.

"Damn, Griffin" Harper low-whistles.

Clarke tunes down the noise as she stares into emerald eyes. Lexa's pupils have grown considerably, causing her eyes to darken. The girl is still holding the lemon between her teeth. Clarke leans closer and closes her teeth around it, lingering there for a few seconds, her eyes never leaving Lexa's before pulling away, dropping the lemon on the table. She watches how Lexa's lips part slightly and the brunette's chest rises and fall heavily with each intake of breath.

A smile breaks free on her own lips, "you did it" she whispers to Lexa.

Lexa barely manages a nod, still trying to recover from what's just happened. It is taking all of her self-restrain to not devour Clarke's lips with her own because of how aroused this body shot has just made her.

Clarke notices the faint, red mark that the sucking motion of her lips has left on Lexa's neck and it turns her on more than she thought it would to know there is a visible proof on Lexa's body of what went down less than a minute ago.

"So fucking gay" Anya mutters as she takes a sip of her drink, "just kiss already!" she shouts.

Finn doesn't seem to enjoy this very much. He takes a chug of his beer and goes outside. He hasn't exactly enjoyed watching his girlfriend suck on somebody else's neck while she won't even let him touch her anymore.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

Clarke notices that Finn isn't around anymore and she frowns. She could have sworn he was there seconds ago.

"I'll be right back" she whispers in Lexa's ear before going outside.

She finds the boy sat on the swinging chair, swaying his legs in the air while sipping on his beer.

"Hey" she makes her presence known.

Finn's head snaps up at the sound of her voice, "hey" he says.

Clarke sits next to him, folding her hands in her lap. Finn is oddly quiet tonight, "is everything okay?"

Finn looks at her in silence for a few seconds, then shakes his head, letting out a deep sigh. He goes to place his hand on her shoulder but rectracts it before it touches her, not willing to suffer yet another rejection from the blonde. Clarke wants to pretend she doesn't know what's wrong. She wants to believe it isn't her fault but she knows that to be false. She did that. She hurt Finn by trying so hard to protect him from getting hurt.

She closes her eyes and feels guilty when even now, images of emerald eyes and plump lips flash behind her eyelids. She shakes her head and decides to take matters into her own hands. She grabs Finn's face so he's now facing her and she presses her lips on his to try to clear her mind from thoughts of the brunette. She feels sad when the kiss doesn't create the same fluttering feeling in the pit of her stomach that she gets whenever Lexa's around. She knows what that feeling is. She's terrified to acknowledge it. Acknowledging it would mean facing the issue head on and Clarke is known for running away from her problems until eventually they catch up to her.

The kiss doesn't work. There's no fireworks, no tingles, no nothing and she cannot help but wish it were plump lips kissing her and not Finn's chapped ones. She cannot keep avoiding this issue, she owes it to Finn but also to herself to be honest. A single tear escapes her eyes and she disconnects their lips, looking down at her lap dejectedly. She watches as understanding falls onto the boy and his brows crease.

"...Clarke?" He quietly calls, "is this what I think it is?" his voice takes on a sadder tone.

"I'm sorry" she sobs out, "I'm so sorry"

"It's about Lexa, isn't it?" He asks with a knowing look. Her head snaps up. **_How does he know?_** Finn seems to read her mind as he answers her silent question, "I see the way you look at her when you think no one is looking" he explains with a sad shrug, "I tried to win you back but it is useless. This isn't even a competition" he takes her hand in his, "I just want you to be happy and if you think you'll be happier with her, then go for it. Don't let me stop you"

"I'm sorry" her voice cracks on the last word as tears fall freely.

"Don't apologise" he says, "you can't control your heart"

She pulls him in for one last kiss. He then gets up to leave, pressing a kiss to her forehead, "I'll always love you, Clarke"

She watches his retreating figure and breaks into sobs, burying her head in her lap. Yes, she didn't love Finn like that but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt to see him sad. She never wanted to cause him pain.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

Lexa sees Finn come back inside and grab his jacket before announcing his departure but Clarke isn't with him.

She goes outside and finds Clarke crying on the swingchair. She walks closer and takes a seat next to Clarke. She doesn't say anything and simply cradles the blonde's head against her chest.

Clarke grips her shirt and cries into her shouler, "I hurt him" she sobs out, "I never meant to hurt him"

"Shhh" Lexa tries to soothe her, stroking blonde hair. She drops her chin on Clarke's head, her heart shattering a bit more at each broken sob, at each sad hiccup that escapes Clarke's throat, "I got you" Clarke nods against her chest.

The silence stretches as Clarke's tears slowly come to a stop. Even then, Lexa keeps holding her. She will not let go of Clarke until the blonde asks it from her.

"We broke up" Clarke whispers before falling silent again.

"I'm sorry" Lexa whispers back.

She doesn't feel happy about the news. She would never rejoice in someone else's misery for the sole reason that it benefits her. That would be extremely selfish of her. She mostly feels like the breakup was bound to happen but never in a million years would she have pressured Clarke into doing anything before the blonde was ready to. She also doesn't have the nerve to assume that just because Finn is out of the picture, it means she has a chance with Clarke. There is no doubt in her mind that she wants to be with Clarke but the blonde's wishes are more important to her than her own. So now, she just holds Clarke in her arms, settling for that for the moment, silently hoping that one day, Clarke will want to give them a chance as more than friends.

 

 


	7. The heart wants what it wants

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't you just love it when you only have the last period of class but they force you to go to school for the whole day anyway...at least I had some time on my hands to finish this chapter so here it is :)

 

 

"What do you mean you _broke up_ with Finn?" Abby asks, angrily, "are you doing this just to get a rise out of me?"

"No" Clarke's face hardens, "I did this because being with Finn wasn't what I wanted"

"Have you thought about the poor boy's feelings?" Abby accuses.

"And what about _my_ feelings?!" Clarke raises her voice, tears brimming at the corner of her eyes, "have you ever thought of that?"

Abby falters then takes a step towards Clarke, reaching out to cup the girl's cheeks. Clarke steps away, pulling away from the contact and sees the slighest bit of hurt in her mother's eyes.

"I don't want your comfort or whatever it is you are trying to do right now. I'm simply letting you know so you don't try to force another dinner on Finn" she stomps upstairs.

Lexa isn't here at the moment. When she had told Clarke she'd be at the gym, recounting her conversation with Anya to the blonde, Clarke had been extremely happy for her. She had hugged the girl, telling her to enjoy it. Now though, she kind of wishes Lexa was here to provide a much needed hug. She remembers Lexa's open invitation to watch her practice and grabs her jacket then puts it on before leaving the house.

She arrives to the gym about 5 minutes later. She takes the keys out of the ignition and hesitantly makes her way inside the building.

"Excuse me?" she catches the receptionist's attention, "my friend is training with someone named Anya...could you tell me where they are now?"

The receptionist scans her computer's screen for a good ten seconds before looking at the blonde again, "room 214. It's at the end of the hallway. You'll recognize it when you see it. It's a pretty big room"

"Thanks" Clarke smiles and walks down the hallway.

She pushes the heavy door open and her eyes immediately catch the sight of Lexa, standing next to Anya in her brand new white uniform. The blonde's sour mood immediately dissipates. Sweat is dripping down the brunette's forehead and her cheeks are red due to the continuous effort but Clarke notes that she still looks breathtakingly beautiful.

Lexa grins when she spots her and shyly waves at her. Clarke waves back and settles on the bench, pulling her sketchbook out of her bag, starting to sketch the figures of students training.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

"Blondie's visiting you now?" Anya raises an eyebrow.

Lexa pulls her gaze away from Clarke to look at the older girl, "Uh...seems like it. I told her she could watch the training but I didn't think that she'd actually come" Lexa answers, happy to see that she was wrong and that Clarke did come to see her after all.

Anya hums, "we better try to impress her then" she winks, "let's repeat what we've learned so far"

Lexa blushes and nods, feeling nervous under Clarke's watchful eye.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Clarke watches as Lexa swiftly lands kick after kick, agilely dodging Anya's punches. The brunette seems to be a natural. Clarke gives up her drawing of the other students and starts sketching Lexa instead. She gets so lost in her drawing that she loses track of time.

Soon, the class is over and Lexa's hovering over her, a water bottle brought to her lips, "what are you drawing?" she asks, closing the lid of the bottle.

Clarke slams her sketchbook shut, "nothing" she says.

Lexa raises an eyebrow, "it didn't look like nothing" she points out, chuckling, "can I see?" she gently asks.

Clarke hesitates, then hands her sketchbook over, letting Lexa flicker through pages and pages of small sketches. Clarke's eyes widen when she remembers a drawing she made a few days ago but it's too late to take her sketchbook back now. She clenches her eyes in apprehension of the brunette's reaction.

"Is that...is that me...sleeping?" Lexa asks, trailing her finger over the lines before turning her head to look at Clarke.

The blonde peeks through her hands and nods bashfully, "I'm sorry...this is a bit creepy"

"No! no, it's not...I'm flattered" Lexa places a hand on Clarke's forearm, "it's beautiful" she whispers in awe.

"Well..you _are_ beautiful, so..." Clarke trails off, scraping the back of her neck.

Lexa flushes, still not used to receiving compliments. She turns the page and sees the drawing Clarke has just made, "did you....y-you made this in less than thirty minutes..." Lexa says, astounded.

Clarke shrugs, "it's not that good" she modestly says, "it's just a draft"

"You need to rethink your definition of _'not that good'_ because this" she taps her finger against the paper, "is extremely well-drawn"

Clarke shrugs, "did you like the lesson?" she changes the topic.

Lexa nods excitedly, "it was really great. Anya's so cool!" she shares enthusiastically.

"She does strikes me as a really fun person to be around" Clarke hums.

"She is" Lexa agrees, nodding, "though she can be a bit scary at times" she chuckles, "I have to get changed but maybe we can do something after?" Lexa asks shyly.

Clarke nods, "like what?"

"Ice cream" Lexa replies instantly.

Clarke laughs at how quick of an answer that was, "isn't it a bit cold outside to eat ice cream?"

"It's never too cold for ice cream" Lexa argues, daring Clarke to contradict her words.

Clarke raises her hands in surrender, "alright, alright" she laughs, "we'll get ice cream. Now go get changed" she lightly shoves Lexa off the bench.

Lexa turns to send her one last small smile before walking away. Clarke watches as she leaves, sighing happily, her little altercation with her mother now long forgotten.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

"You have ice cream everywhere" Clarke laughs, taking in Lexa's face. There is ice cream on the girl's nose and on her chin, "how can you be such a messy eater?"

She grabs a tissue and wipes off the liquid from the brunette's face, their eyes locked firmly together. She clears her throat when she's done and throws the tissue in the nearest trash can.

"What now?" Lexa asks.

"Now we go back home and you help with my homework because god knows I won't be able to complete it on my own"

"What do I get in exchange?"

"The pleasure of my company" Clarke jokes.

"Good enough for me" Lexa shrugs with a smile and Clarke's heart misses a beat. **_Why does Lexa always say the sweetest things?_**

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

"Clarke?" Jake says, surprised upon seeing Clarke enter his office brusquely, "what's wrong?"

Clarke starts pacing, then she stops and drops on a chair, shoulders slumping down, "I have something to tell you" she whispers, "I didn't plan on telling anyone but keeping it bottled up is just too hard and I need to speak to someone about it otherwise I think I'll explode" she rushes out in one breath.

"Breathe, Clarke" Jake instructs, "whatever it is, you can tell me. You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

Clarke nods and inhales deeply, "well I guess I have something else I need to tell you first too...I'm...I like girls...and boys...I'm bisexual.." she waits, eyes closed.

"I know" Jake kindly says, grinning widely.

Clarke's head snaps up, brows furrowed, "you know?" she asks, eyes wide in surprise.

Jake nods, "of course I know, Clarke. You're my daughter" he moves next to her and wraps an arm around her, "also you aren't very subtle with the heart eyes you're throwing at Lexa" he smirks.

Clarke pulls away and smacks his arm before wiping at the few tears of relief that escaped her eyes, "it's not funny" she whines, smiling nonetheless, "actually that's what I wanted to talk about with you. Lexa, I mean" she starts picking at her nails nervously.

Jake leads them both to the couch on the far right of the room and prompts her to sit next to him, "tell me everything" he whispers encouragingly.

"I...I think I have feelings for her- no, I _know_ I have feelings for her and I just...I want to do something about it but..."

"What's stopping you?" Jake asks.

"Well I...my break up with Finn is still pretty fresh and-"

"You don't want him to feel hurt that you moved on so quickly" Jake finishes for her.

Clarke nods, "yes but also...I have no idea if Lexa even feels the same way"

"Oh honey, she does" he chuckles, "I can assure you she does"

Clarke frowns, "how would you know?" she turns her head to look at him.

Jake places his hand on Clarke's knee, brushing his thumb over her jeans, "because she looks at you the way I look at donuts"

Clarke squints her eyes at him, "are you saying Lexa wants to eat me? Because that is the weirdest comparison you have ever made"

Jake laughs, "I was trying to say something deep but you ruined it" he accuses.

"You ruined it on your own" Clarke points out, grinning, "now what did you really mean?"

"Lexa looks at you with love in her eyes" he explains.

Clarke's eyes widen at the four letter word, " _whoa,_ slow down...no one has said anything about love"

"And yet, I think this is exactly what this is" Jake tells her, seeing right through her, "I'm not telling you to go propose to her. Just give it a shot, see where it could lead you. Who knows, maybe it'll blossom into a wonderful story" he smiles.

"Or it could ruin our friendship" Clarke says, always the reasonable one, "what if it's not worth it? What if I'm wrong and we're not meant to be more than friends at all?"

"You won't know unless you try" he pats her shoulder before getting up, sensing that the conversation is over. Clarke gets up as well and goes to turn the doorknob before being interrupted by her father's voice, "I'm proud of you, Clarke" he tells her, "I really am"

She smiles through fresh tears, "thank you, dad" she surges forward to wrap her arms around his waist.

"I love you no matter what, okay?" he whispers in her hair before pressing a kiss on the top of her head.

"I love you too, dad" she whispers back, holding him tightly against herself.

She leaves the room, his words echoing through her mind. She is more confused than ever as to what she's supposed to do and tells herself that she still has time to think about it. She doesn't need to have it all figured out now.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

It's a bit awkward between her and Finn when they go back to school on Monday but she can see he's trying and for that she is thankful. She also recognizes how lucky she is that Finn still wants to be her friend even after their break up. It will most likely take some time for things to get back to normal but she's sure that eventually, it'll all work out.

"Students" Ms. Forrest calls their attention at the end of class, "before you go, I have to announce to you that there will be an exam in three weeks on everything we've seen since January"

A collective groan can be heard among the students. Murphy, the well-known grumpy student, even goes as far as to throw his books on the floor out of anger.

"M. Murphy, please contain your excitement" the teacher jokes, gathering a few laughs.

"Whatever" the boy smirks, not bothering to pick up his book. It's not like he ever uses it anyway.

"Be prepared for this exam because it will count for a third of your final grade"

Another collective groan.

"I know" Ms. Forrest smiles, "some news just make you really happy" she says sarcastically.

Lexa likes Ms. Forrest. She is always in a good mood, up for joking with the students and very helpful. She puts people at ease and that has encouraged Lexa to raise her hand more in class, to Clarke's absolute delight, the blonde being happy that Lexa seems to gain in confidence as the days pass by.

The bell rings and students gather their stuff and leave. Lexa shakes Clarke awake, giggling.

 _"Whaaa..?_ " Clarke mumbles, cracking an eye open which draws another giggle from Lexa.

"Class is over" Lexa informs her.

"And yes, Ms. Griffin, you slept through almost all of it" Ms. Forrest winks at her before leaving.

"Sorry!" Clarke shouts at her teacher's retreating figure before letting her head fall back on the desk with a loud thud.  ** _Ouch,_** Lexa thinks when she hears the sound. Clarke is too far gone to even register the pain in her forehead.

Lexa laughs and places one of Clarke's arms over her shoulders, lifting the half-asleep girl from the chair, "come on, we gotta get to the cafeteria with the others" she starts walking.

"Don't want to" Clarke mumbles.

"Too bad because we're going" Lexa replies, "are you really going to force me to carry you there"

Clarke hums, nodding.

Lexa huffs and places herself in front of Clarke, her back to the girl, crouching slightly, "hop on" she says.

"Wait, _really?"_ Clarke asks, "I wasn't really serious. I'm going to crush you"

"You're not that heavy" Lexa argues, "climb up" she insists.

Clarke yelps when her feet leave the ground as Lexa places her hands under her thighs. She circles Lexa's neck with her arms, holding on tight when Lexa starts walking, giving her a piggyback ride. Clarke can't help but feel turned on by this show of strength from the brunette. The girl is bustling through the school while carrying her seemingly effortlessly. They get weird looks as they walk through the hallway but neither of them cares.

Clarke drops her chin on Lexa's shoulder and gives her instructions on where to go. They are not bothered by their schoolbags which they left in class because their next period takes place in the same room as the one they just had. Clarke simply grabbed both of their lunches and placed them into a smaller bag.

"Take left" she says.

"Clarke, the cafeteria is on the right" Lexa frowns.

"I know" Clarke grins.

Lexa shakes her head fondly and does as told. She falters in her steps and nearly trips over her feet when Clarke tilts her head and kisses her cheek.

"You okay there, commander?" Clarke teases.

"Perfect" Lexa blushes, "commander?" she questions.

Clarke shrugs, "just thought it suited you. You don't like it?"

"Uh...well..I.." Lexa splutters out, a bit distracted by the way Clarke's breath hits her skin each time the girl exhales.

Clarke laughs, "alright, commander" she jokes, "keep walking" she instructs.

"Where?"

"Straight ahead" Clarke says then snorts, repeating the word _'straight'_ while doing air quotes.

"Very funny, Clarke" Lexa shakes her head with a smile, "we're leaving school grounds" Lexa points out.

"I know" Clarke says, "keep going and turn left at the end of the street" she instructs.

Lexa is curious to see where Clarke is taking them but doesn't ask, keeping the mistery alive until they get there. She sometimes steal glances at the blonde from the corner of her eye and sometimes, blue eyes are looking back at her which causes her to almost bump into a street pole, missing it only by a few inches.

"Careful!" Clarke hisses, "what's got you so distracted?"

 ** _You, your eyes, your smile, your lips,_  **Lexa thinks, "I'm just tired" she says instead, hoisting Clarke up on her back after feeling the girl slip slightly. The blonde giggles at the little bounce it makes.

"Aren't your arms hurting?" she asks, a bit concerned. Lexa has been carrying her for more than five minutes now.

"They're alright, don't worry" she smiles at her in reassurance, "where to, m'lady?" she asks and revels in the giggle it elicits from Clarke.

"Turn right and enter that park" she points at the alley of trees in the distance. They walk a couple more minutes before Clarke lightly taps on Lexa's shoulder, "we're here" she says before pressing another kiss to Lexa's cheek, "thank you" she whispers before getting off the girl. Lexa smiles and thinks to herself that she'll do it all over again if it means she'll get another one of those kisses.

She takes in the place they stopped at. It is a small park that seems to be empty at the moment. Scratch that, Lexa can now hear the faint sound of children's laughter in the distance.

Clarke links their fingers and starts leading them further into the park, "I used to go here with my father when I was young. There's a small playground a bit further" she explains.

"Why don't you go anymore?"

"Not enough time, I guess. Between school and my dad's job, it's hard to find a moment where we can go" Lexa squeezes her hand, "and I'm a bit too old to play in the playground" Clarke adds.

"Nonsense" Lexa shakes her head, "there's no such thing as being too old for something"

Clarke laughs and nods, "alright. Can't wait to see you gliding down the slide then"

The children's laughter gets louder as they close in on the playground. There, they can see four children running around and two mothers sat on a bench, chatting.

"I love children" Clarke smiles.

Lexa nods in agreement, "me too"

They sit on the set of swings that isn't already occupied, distractedly swaying as they talk.

"What do you want to be later?" Lexa asks.

"If I could, I'd be an artist" Clarke says.

"What do you mean _if you could_?" Lexa frowns.

Clarke sighs, gripping the chains of the swings tightly while looking down to her feet, "my mom won't let me. She wants me to go to med school"

"Fuck that" Clarke's head snaps up, not used to hearing Lexa curse, "if you want to be an artist, then be an artist" she shrugs, "don't give up on your dreams because of your mother"

"She's headstrong...she won't give up on her idea to sign me up for med school"

"She might be entitled to her dumb opinion but that doesn't mean she can force you to do something you don't want to" Lexa says, "your father will surely support you if you go against her"

Clarke nods, knowing that her father has always wanted her to do what makes her happy and not what people expect of her, "what about you? What do you wanna do later?" she asks.

Lexa shrugs, "I don't know. Until I met you, I was convinced I wouldn't go to College so now I don't really have a plan"

"You still have time to think about it" Clarke tells her.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

"Stop" Lexa whines when Clarke throws grapes at her. They moved to the grass to eat their lunch for it was quieter than the playground.

"Nope" Clarke laughs, "hold on, new game. I throw one and you try to catch it"

"Seems easy enough" Lexa shrugs, smirking.

"With your mouth" Clarke adds, laughing at how Lexa's smirk fell. She grabs a grape and holds it up, ready to throw it, "ready?"

"No"

"Too bad. I'm throwing it anyway" she says before throwing the grape in the air.

Lexa opens her mouth to catch it but it bounces on her forehead instead, "ow" she brushes her hand on her forehead while glaring at Clarke who is rolling on the grass as she cackles with laughter, "hilarious" the brunette says as she rolls her eyes.

"Try again" Clarke says, "you just need some practice" she says as she grabs another grape, "ready?"

Lexa nods, her eyes never leaving the grape. This one bounces off her chin to land in the grass, "I almost had it" she pouts, arms crossed.

"Again" Clarke says, holding another grape between her fingers.

"So I can fail once more? No, thank you"

"Just one more" Clarke promises.

Lexa rolls her eyes and nods, determined to succeed. She successfully catches it in her mouth and raises her arms up in victory as she holds it between her teeth, _"I did it!"_ she mumbles gleefully before munching proudly on the fruit.

"You sure did" Clarke grins, holding her hand up for a high-five. Lexa moves forward and slaps her hand against Clarke's then settles back down on the grass, a grin still etched onto her face, "you're proud of yourself, aren't you?" Clarke's smile widens.

She scoots closer and lies down, placing her head on Lexa's lap, "is this okay?" she asks, looking up at the brunette. Lexa nods and threads her fingers in blonde strands, stroking Clarke's hair, causing a content hum to make its way out of Clarke's throat.

"It feels nice" the blonde says, basking in the sunlight while enjoying the soothing motion of Lexa's hand against her head. Lexa has to agree with her, it does feel nice.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

"We should go back to school" Lexa says, wiping the dirt off her jeans as she gets up.

Clarke groans but gets up anyway. She moves behind Lexa and circles her arms around the brunette's neck, "will you carry me again?" she asks in an overly sweet voice.

Lexa rolls her eyes and bends her knees, bracing herself for the moment Clarke climbs on her back, _"umpf"_ she lets out when Clarke's weight settles on her, then starts the walk back to school.

The walk is rhythmed by Clarke's regular comments and the kisses she presses either on Lexa's cheek or on her neck. If you asked, Lexa would blame her red cheeks on the cold weather.

"Where were you?" Luna asks when they plop down on their seats at the cafeteria.

"At the park nearby" Clarke answers, "I didn't want to stay inside the school so Lexa carried me there" she shrugs, realizing her mistakes two seconds too late.

"She...she _carried_ you there?" Raven repeats, a growing smirk on her lips as her eyes shift from one very embarrassed girl to the other, "were you in the incapacity to walk?"

"Well...no but-"

"So she willingly carried you there when you were perfectly able to walk by yourself because...?" she trails off.

 _"She was tired..."_ Lexa mumbles. It's a weak excuse, she knows it and by the knowing smirk on Luna and Raven's faces, they know it too.

Luna hums, clearly not buying it and resumes eating, a smirk firmly held in place on her features. Clarke groans and drops her head in her arms which are resting on the table, effectively masking her growing blush. She almost forgot how much Luna and Raven love to tease her. Almost.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

"Lexa?" Jake calls from his study room.

Lexa frowns, "yes?" her voice betrays a hint of apprehension.

"Could you come here for a minute?" he asks. She hesitantly rises from the couch where she was sitting, flicking through the tv channels, looking for an interesting program to watch without much luck.

"What is it?" she fearfully asks. **_Is this the moment he'll announce to me that he's changed his mind and doesn't want me to stay anymore?_** she can't help but consider this dreading possibility, "did I do something wrong?"

"Of course not" he shakes his head, smiling kindly, "relax, I'm not going to scold you or anything like that"

The tension evades Lexa's body and she sits on the presented chair, in front of the man, folding her hands in her lap and sitting straight out of politeness. If Jake notices how stiff she looks, he doesn't comment on it and proceeds to explain the reason of her presence here,

"I just wanted to make sure you're adapting well to the school and to this new environment. I know it can't be easy for you"

Lexa is taken aback. She wasn't expecting that, "everything is going very well, M. Griffin"

"Jake" the man corrects her.

 _"M. Griffin"_ Lexa insists, a grin plastered on her face.

Jake snaps his finger, "dang it" he points a finger at her, "I'll get you to call me Jake one day" he declares.

"Maybe one day" Lexa nods, still smiling, "was that all you wished to discuss?"

"Yes" Jake smiles, "before you go though, one last thing" he adds as an afterthought when she's out of her seat, "take care of my daughter, alright?"

"I...I'm not sure I understand, sir" Lexa answers, confused.

"Clarke has already been through a lot and she found a friend in you. She values the friendship you two share. Just...be there for her, okay? I can't always be home and it would make me feel better knowing she has you around"

"I would never fail to protect her, sir" Lexa states confidently, "being your daughter's friend is the best thing that's happened to me in a long time, if not the best thing that's ever happened to me" she speaks honestly.

Jake nods, content with this answer because what Lexa has just said basically confirms his suspicions that his daughter's feelings for the brunette aren't one-sided at all. Now it's only a matter of time before they come to the same realization and give it a real chance.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

As the days go by, Clarke thinks over what her dad told her more and more everyday and she finally reaches a decision ; she will confess her feelings to Lexa despite the risk of them not being returned because keeping it bottled up is slowly becoming too much for her. **_Tonight,_** she tells herself as she watches Lexa's face light up, her laughter ringing through the room, upon hearing one of Raven's infamous jokes, ** _I'll tell her tonight,_** she mentally repeats resolutely.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

Lexa drops on the bed with a heavy sigh.

"What's wrong?" Clarke asks, keeping in the back of her mind the promise she made to herself to confess her feelings to the girl.

"Nothing's wrong...I just.." she trails off, at loss for words.

Clarke joins her on the bed which dips slightly under the added weight. She takes Lexa's hand in hers, brushing her thumb over the girl's knuckles in silence, giving the brunette her undivided attention.

"I feel like you're doing so much for me _-you and your dad, I mean-_ and I...I can't offer you anything in return..."

"Lexa, having you here with us is more than enough. You might not see it but you make our lives better" she says truthfully, "and...about that...there is...there is something I wanted to tell you..." **_This is it,_ ** she braces herself, **_you can do this._ ****_It's not that_**   ** _hard. Just confess your feelings. Well, that's easier said than done,_** Clarke continues in her internal turmoil.

"Clarke?" Lexa waves a hand in front of her eyes, bringing Clarke back to present time.

"Yes, yes...uhm..so...alright, here I go" she takes a big breath, locking her eyes with expectant emerald ones, "Lexa, I-"

She is interrupted by the sound of an incoming text message on Lexa's phone. She clenches her eyes tightly in frustration. She was _this close_ to finally taking the leap.

"Sorry" Lexa whispers, unlocking her phone, then frowns when she reads the text.

 

**_Unknown number - 10.34 PM_ **

_Hi, Lexa! It's Costia. I don't know if u remember me, I'm the girl from the party. Luna's friend from chemistry class. I was wondering if u wanted to hang out sometime soon_

 

**_Unknown number - 10.34 PM_ **

_And just so we're clear, I meant that as going on a date and not a friendly hang out ;) What do u say?_

 

"Who is it?" Clarke asks, trying to keep her hands still for they are a bit shaky at the moment due to her nerves.

"..Costia.." Lexa answers, eyebrows furrowed.

Clarke's face falls at hearing the name, "oh...I didn't know you were friends..."

"We're not..." Lexa clarifies as she types back a text.

 

_**Gorgeous brunette - 10.36 PM** _

_I don't mean to be rude but how did you get my number?_

 

**_Unknown number - 10.36 PM_ **

_I had to beg Luna to give it to me. Eventually she just had to agree cause I was becoming too annoying haha ;) So about that date?_

 

Clarke's heart sinks as she reads the texts but tries to keep her composure, "are you going to agree?"

Lexa hesitates, "I...uh well, I don't really know.." she doesn't really know the girl but she didn't really strike her as a mean person. The main reason for the brunette's hesitation is the girl currently sitting next to her. She has no idea if she has a chance with Clarke but she doesn't want to ruin it before it has even started, whatever _'it'_ is.

Clarke swallows down the hurt she feels and ignores the ache in her chest as she speaks her next words, a lump in her throat, "you should go" she lets out, her throat tightening around the words as she tries her best not to cry, "she seems nice. You should go" As much as it hurts to say those things, she won't be the one to keep Lexa from being happy and if Costia happens to offer that happiness, then she'll let it happen.

"You think?" Lexa asks, disappointed. She takes Clarke's encouragment to pursue Costia as a confirmation that the blonde doesn't feel the same way about her.

"I have to use the bathroom" Clarke says.

"Wait, Clarke! what were you going to say before I got the text?"

"It doesn't matter. It wasn't really important anyway" the blonde mumbles, hastily entering the bathroom before Lexa can see her rapidly flowing tears.

She tries to control the volume of her sobs and turns on the tap to drown out the sounds. She has never experienced such pain. Five minutes ago her heart was filled with hope, now that hope is gone and her heart feels heavier than it's ever felt.

She eventually drags herself out of the bathroom after fifteen minutes have passed, purposely not meeting Lexa's eyes because she knows one look into those emerald orbs would send her into tears once again. She tiredly slips under the covers, her back curved away from Lexa and closes her eyes. She hears Lexa's quiet calls of her name but ignores it and pretends to be asleep as silent tears roll down her cheeks.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

It's been three days. Three days of near radio-silence from Clarke. Each of Lexa's questions is either answered with short responses or left completely ignored. Lexa has tried getting Clarke to be more responsive but nothing seems to work. There has been an obvious shift in their dynamic and Lexa wishes things could go back to the way they were before.

She declined Costia's offer of going on a date with her but Clarke doesn't know that because each time the brunette tries to strike up a conversation, the blonde makes up an excuse about having to be somewhere else or being too busy on one work or another. Lexa's running out of options and she's getting desperate. She misses their late night conversations and the moments where they would just engage into a playful banter. She misses how Clarke used to teach her all there is to know about the internet. Now, everytime she opens the twitter app, it only reminds her that Clarke isn't here to explain to her all the things she doesn't understand and god knows there are a lot of things she doesn't understand.

_She misses Clarke._

The girl is here but at the same time, it's like she's not and Lexa feels lonely, now more than ever. She finds herself thinking about her parents now that she doesn't have anything else to preoccupy her mind with. She finds herself crying often, either because of memories of that fateful night where she was kicked out, or because of yet another dismissal from Clarke of her attempts to start a conversation.

When Clarke enters the room, instead of letting the blonde take a seat at her desk like she usually does, she grabs her wrist and pulls her on the bed, without being too brutal because she doesn't wish to harm the girl in any way.

"Talk to me" she cuts right through it, her voice taking on an authoritative tone that she definitely isn't used to using and that she wishes she didn't have to use around Clarke.

"What? Lexa, I have work to do" Clarke sighs and moves to get up but a hand pulls her right back to her previous position, still as gently as possible, "what do you want?" Clarke asks in an annoyed tone.

"I want you to talk to me" Lexa reiterates.

"I _am_ talking to you" Clarke stubbornly answers. They both know what Lexa meant by _'talking'_ but Clarke chooses to ignore that and it pisses Lexa off.

"No, you're not!" she raises her voice, startling Clarke, "we haven't had a proper conversation in _three_ days _,_ Clarke" she tells the blonde, unmistakably emphasizing the word _three,_ "I miss you" she then confesses in a whisper, creating a contrast with the louder volume her voice had taken on mere seconds ago.

Clarke hears the crack in the brunette's voice and her eyes soften considerably when she takes in how vulnerable Lexa looks right now. A pang of guilt surges inside her chest. In the past few days, she has selfishly pushed Lexa away, she has shut her out in order to protect herself without realizing how painful it was for Lexa to endure this silent treatment.

"I'm sorry" she murmurs, ducking her head in shame, "I didn't...I didn't realize....I'm sorry" she repeats the apology, still looking down at her hands.

"It's fine" Lexa brushes off, shrinking back to her shy persona, "just...don't do it again, please"

"I won't" Clarke says, "I promise" she tentatively leans forward to engulf Lexa in a hug and sighs in relief when the brunette accepts the gesture and returns the embrace. She is so grateful Lexa's willing to forgive her so fast even after she has given the girl the cold shoulder for three whole days.

Lexa smiles widely as she holds Clarke close to her, feeling relieved of a huge weight.

When they pull away, Lexa's eyes stray down to Clarke's lips on their own accord. It would be so easy to just lean in and capture them with her own. So that's exactly what she does.

In her euphoria of finally having Clarke back, she surges forward and without thinking much about it, gently presses her mouth against the pair of lips she has been dreaming of kissing for weeks now. Clarke's eyebrows shoot up in surprise, and a hum makes its way out of her throat at the feeling of those tantalizing lips because of which she has stayed awake many nights, wondering what they would feel like against her own.

Unfortunately, it is short-lived and before Clarke's mind can fully catch up with the situation, Lexa's lips are gone, leaving the blonde desperate for more.

"I..I'm so sorry, _fuck_...I don't know what came over me..I _\- fuck,_ I'm sorry" Lexa scurries off the bed, nearly tripping over her own feet in the process and hurries to the exit. She curses herself for not being able to control herself and pulling that shit right after rekindling her friendship with blonde. ** _Now, she won't ever want to be my friend again,_ ** she thinks dejectedly.

She is on the brink of opening the door when fingers wrap around her wrist. She is being turned around and feels a hand cup her cheek. Fireworks then explode behind her closed eyelids because Clarke's lips are on hers again, tentatively applying the slightest amount of pressure.

Lexa is utterly stunned. This is better than anything she's imagined. It's gentle and yet strong. She pulls herself out of her stupor so she can return the kiss properly and feels her heart threatening to jump out of her chest as the blonde's lips slowly move against her own. Clarke disconnects their lips for the shortest moment to change the angle of the kiss, her nose brushing against Lexa's and then she's kissing her again with more conviction this time, pressing her lips more firmly against plump ones and sighing contentedly though her nose.

Lexa doesn't know what to do with her hands and eventually just lets them drop to the blonde's waist, molding against soft curves.

The kiss ends when they have to break apart in order to fill their air-deprived lungs. Clarke fondly takes in Lexa's face. The girl's eyes are still closed, mouth slightly agape and cheeks flushed. She looks beautiful.

As for Lexa, she doesn't dare open her eyes out of fear that it is all a dream and that the second she opens her eyes, she'll wake up to a dark room and a sleeping Clarke. A single tear escapes her left eye because the emotion of the moment is too much for her to handle. She feels like she's been waiting forever for that.

"Lexa" Clarke calls out in a soft whisper, "look at me" she brushes her thumb on the brunette's cheek.

Lexa's eyes slowly open, revealing emerald orbs filled with emotion and unshed tears. One look into cerulean eyes sends those tears rolling down her cheeks. Clarke kisses them away then pulls away slightly, giving Lexa a blinding smile.

"I've been wanting to do that for some time" Clarke whispers, joining their foreheads and closing her eyes.

"You have?" Lexa asks, surprised. Her voice sounds far away for she is still trying to wrap her mind around what just happened.

Clarke hums and tilts her chin up, "and I want to do it again" she whispers against Lexa's lips before capturing them in hers once again, both of them smiling through the kiss, rendering it a somewhat awkward but it is perfect to them nonetheless.

Clarke suddenly pulls away, frowing. Lexa's eyes are still closed and her lips puckered up, waiting for the blonde's lips to come back. When it doesn't come, she opens her eyes, brows furrowed in confusion.

"I thought you went on a date with Costia?" Clarke says, half-affirmatively and half-askingly, a bit confused now.

Lexa blinks once, twice, "I didn't" she simply answers, shaking her head.

"Why?" Clarke asks.

Lexa smiles shyly at her, "because I've kind of had my eye on someone else for a little while" she truthfully says.

"Yeah?" Clarke plays along, "do I know her?" she leans closer, her lips grazing Lexa's ever so slightly.

"I think you know her pretty well" Lexa's warm breath hits Clarke's mouth before the brunette tilts her head up and connects their lips for the fourth time tonight.

Clarke's hands move to cup Lexa's cheeks, fingers gliding along a sharp jawline and well-defined cheekbones.Their lips slide effortlessly against each other as Lexa's hands move up and down Clarke's sides.

It is Clarke who deepens the kiss, grazing her tongue across the brunette's lower lip, silently begging for access. Lexa is more than happy to comply and plump lips slightly part as her hands grip Clarke's shirt to anchor herself because she feels she is about two seconds away from completely giving herself up to the blonde, two seconds away from losing herself in the feel of the girl's curves under her fingertips while she savours the taste of soft lips gliding against her own as if they were always meant to be doing this. A moan works its way up Lexa's throat and she finds herself unable to supress it. Clarke relishes in the sound and her right hand moves to caress the baby hair on the nape of Lexa's neck.

In a rush of bravery, Clarke steps forward which forces Lexa to step backwards. The brunette's back collides with the door and the yelp of surprise that leaves plump lips is swallowed by the blonde when her tongue swiftly slips inside the brunette's mouth. There is barely any space left between their bodies and Lexa's hands slide around Clarke's waist to find their destination on the blonde's lower back, keeping them at a respectable distance from the girl's backside.

Clarke pushes a thigh between Lexa's legs and the whimper which escapes the girl's lips is what brings her back to reality, clearing her now foggy mind. She remembers where they are and detaches her lips from Lexa's, pulling away slightly to lessen her desire to dive right back in. She cannot help but find adorable the small crease of Lexa's eyebrows and is unable to resist the urge to press one last kiss on the girl's kiss-swollen lips.

"We should..." she breathily lets out, "we should probably stop before it gets too out of hand..." she whispers.

Lexa nods, her mind equally as hazy as the blonde's, "yeah...yeah we should" she agrees.

Clarke leans forward and rests her forehead against Lexa's, revelling in the feeling of closeness the action brings. They remain in relative silence for a few minutes, the only sounds being the ones of their heavy breathing.

"Go out with me" Lexa breaks the silence, blurting out the words before she can stop herself. She instantly misses Clarke's warmth when the girl pulls away, "sorry...that was worded badly" Lexa blushes, "would you...would you go on a date with me?"

Clarke's smile could lighten the darkest of rooms as the brunette's words register in her mind, "yes" she nods eagerly, "of course I'll go on a date with you"

Lexa lets out a sigh of relief she didn't know she was holding and surges forward to encircle the blonde's neck, holding her so close that not an inch of space is left between their bodies. Clarke doesn't think she has ever felt such happiness in her life than in this specific moment, holding the girl she lov- ** _likes,_ ** she corrects herself, not ready to fully consider the depth of her feelings for the brunette.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

"This was my first kiss" Lexa confesses when they're both laying on the bed later that night. Clarke's hand is holding hers, running her thumb over the brunette's knuckles.

"It was?" Clarke's eyebrows shoot up, surprised that no one has ever tried to kiss someone as beautiful as the girl currently looking at her shyly through her eyelashes. She guesses it probably has something to do with the fact that Lexa didn't have many contacts with people her age. And the fact that the girl used to be a closeted teen probably didn't help.

Lexa nods in answer. She hesitates a bit before speaking her next words. One look into blue eyes is what prompts her to just go for it, "I'm really glad you were my first kiss" she whispers into the quiet of the night.

"And I'm glad you allowed me to be your first" Clarke replies just as quietly, scooting her head a bit closer so that it is now resting on Lexa's pillow, their noses brushing, "I really like you" she whispers.

"I really like you too" Lexa whispers back, closing her eyes to fully enjoy the feeling of Clarke's face so close to hers, "will you avoid me when we wake up tomorrow?" Lexa cannot help but ask, her insecurities getting the best of her.

"I would never" Clarke answers without the shadow of a doubt, "I'm not going anywhere. I was being truthful when I said that I like you" she feels the need to make sure Lexa knows how much she truly means it.

Lexa hums, reassured by this answer, "I think I'm going to fall asleep" she whispers.

"Go ahead" Clarke murmurs, "I'll still be here in the morning when you wake up" she promises before leaving one last kiss on the brunette's lips.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, it finally happened!! :D  
> On another note, I probably won't be able to update for at least a week because I have a pretty packed week ahead with a four-day-school trip to Oxford. I'll try to update as soon as I can but it'll definitely take longer than usual


	8. Maybe change isn't so bad after all

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I'm finally back from my school trip in Oxford meaning I have my computer back and I can update again :)  
> I apologize that it has taken so long and to make up for it, I will be posting this chapter now and another one will be posted shortly after. I hope you'll enjoy it!

 

 

As she slowly awakes, so do the memories of last night and Clarke is unable to repress the smile now stretching her lips. She rolls to her side and is met with the beautiful sight of Lexa's relaxed features bathed in the soft light of the morning sun currently peeking through the curtains. She raises a hand to brush a strand of hair away, tucking it behind Lexa's ear and takes the time to admire each and every detail of Lexa's face ; her tiny ears which Clarke finds adorable, her plump lips that she cannot wait to kiss again and her high cheekbones which are covered by almost unvisible freckles. She still has difficulties believing that last night really happened. It all just seems too good to be true. She lets her hand trace over the brunette's features before leaving the bed, taken by a sudden desire to cook breakfast for the girl.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

Lexa cracks her eyes open and smiles, reaching out next to her for the blonde. Her smile falters when her hands meet the mattress and she frowns upon noticing the empty space next to her. Her mind immediately stray to the worst case scenarios and she thinks to herself that Clarke isn't here now because she regrets what happened last night. Lexa should have known it would turn out like this. She bites back a sob and curls under the blankets, attempting to keep her tears at bay without any success. She hears the sound of a door opening and freezes.

Clarke drops the plate filled with pancakes on the bedside table and sits on the bed, "Lex?" she murmurs, gently shaking the brunette's body. She gasps when Lexa turns around and tear-filled emerald eyes look back at her, "what's wrong?"

"I thought....I thought you left..." Lexa murmurs bashfully.

"Why would you think-" Clarke stops when she remembers her earlier promise to be there when the brunette wakes up and she understands how it must have looked when the girl woke up to an empty bed. She sits on the bed and caresses Lexa's cheek with her thumb, "I just went to make you breakfast" she explains.

Lexa's eyes widen, "you made me breakfast?" she asks, unable to conceal the excitement seeping into her voice.

Clarke nods, smiling, and reaches behind her to grab the plate before placing it gently on Lexa's legs, over the blanket.

"No one has ever done something like that for me" Lexa murmurs, looking down at the freshly cooked pancakes on her plate.

"Well, get used to it" she affectionately punches Lexa's shoulder.

Lexa looks at her with an unreadable expression. Clarke sees her hesitate to voice her thoughts, lips forming the beginning of words without actually pronouncing them.

"What is it?" she softly asks, raising a curious eyebrow.

Lexa wants to bring up what happened last night but she isn't sure what Clarke's stand on this is. Clarke did agree to go on a date but you can never be too sure. She fears that the blonde has changed her mind, that what they shared was simply a spur of the moment kind of thing for the girl. She really hopes not because to her, that kiss was the single greatest thing that's ever happened in her life.

"About last night..." Lexa starts, searching for the right words.

Clarke freezes, already imagining what Lexa's next words could possibly be. She's scared that the brunette will say that the kiss was a mistake and that she regrets it.

"Do you regret it?" Clarke asks in an heartbreakingly small voice.

Lexa is quick to shake her head, "no, god no" she breathes out, "I thought...I thought you regretted it"

"I don't" Clarke frowns, shaking her head, "why would you think that?"

Lexa meekly shrugs, casting her eyes down. She picks up her fork and knife and starts eating to occupy her hands. She is avoiding the conversation, they both know that. Lexa's never been comfortable talking about her feelings. It comes from a deep belief that people don't care about how she feels and it would only bother them if she talked about it.

"Lex?" the brunette's eyes raises briefly to meet hers then fall back to the plate just as quickly, "look at me" the blonde says as she kneels before Lexa on the bed.

Lexa slowly stops the motion of her hands and drops the cutlery on the plate with a soft clatter, chancing a glance at Clarke. She regrets doing so instantly because the blonde is looking at her with so much softness and it's like the girl can see right through the walls she's built around herself as a defense mechanism. She can feel those walls progressively tumble down the longer she stares into blue eyes.

"Why did you think I'd regret it?" Clarke repeats her earlier question, sensing there is more behind the story.

"I just don't see how someone like you could be interested in someone like me..." she shrugs it off as though it didn't matter, as those words didn't pierce right through Clarke's heart the moment they left the brunette's lips.

"Lexa-"

"I have to use the bathroom" Lexa lies, cutting Clarke off.

"You don't" Clarke argues.

"I do" Lexa stubbornly says, getting up.

Clarke lets the lie slip this once, giving Lexa the necessary space, for now. She is waiting behind the bathroom door, listening to the small noises inside such as the water running from the tap or the sounds of Lexa's footsteps.

The blonde picks at her nails nervously as she waits for the brunette to emerge from the bathroom. She needs to prove to Lexa that she meant what she said last night. That's why as soon as the brunette steps out of the room, Clarke steps forward, invading her personal space as she cups her cheeks and connects their lips in a soft kiss.

Lexa almost pulls away out of surprise but then her mind catches up with what's currently going down and she presses her lips more firmly against Clarke's, earning a hum of approval from the blonde who has been waiting for this since the moment she woke up.

"I like you" Clarke whispers when she disconnects their lips, gazing softly into teary emerald eyes.

"You do?" Lexa asks, unsure.

Clarke nods, "I really do" she whispers, needing Lexa to believe it. She wraps her arms around the brunette's waist and leans her forehead against the girl's, "I really like you and it feels so fucking good to finally say it out loud"

"Is this a dream?" Lexa asks, eyes closed.

Clarke chuckles a bit, the sound causing Lexa's heart to jump in her chest when it reaches her ears, "It's not" she assures the brunette.

"Because it really feels too beautiful to be true. I really don't want it to turn out to be a dream" she confesses, refusing to open her eyes.

"Does this feel like a dream?" Clarke asks, running her fingertips along the smooth skin of Lexa's forearms, sending chills through the girl's body.

Lexa shakes her head. The temporary privation of her vision amplifies the feeling of Clarke's fingers over her skin.

"How about this?" Clarke's hands come up to frame her face, thumbs gliding over reddening cheeks.

Another shake of head.

"And this?" Clarke's warm breath hits the roof of Lexa's mouth before the unmistakable feeling of Clarke's lips against her own washes over the brunette once more.

She breathes deeply through her nose and her hands find Clarke's hips, instinctively pulling her closer, needing more of the girl. A moan travels from the bottom of her throat to her mouth, sending vibrations against Clarke's lips.

Their lips disconnect when the need for air becomes too strong, "thank you" Lexa whispers.

The melodious sound of Clarke's laughter escapes her throat, "did you just thank me for kissing you?" she asks, still laughing.

Lexa shrugs, "sorry...that was a stupid thing to say" she flushes red.

"It was cute" Clarke argues, gazing fondly at the shy brunette.

"There's that word again" Lexa mumbles, attempting to hide her growing smile.

"What can I say?" Clarke shrugs, "it describes you so well"

"I tend to disagree" Lexa levels her with a raised eyebrow, arms crossed in front of her chest.

_"See?"_ Clarke gestures to her, "that's cute" she repeats, smile growing when Lexa huffs, "so, where are you going to take me?" Clarke decides to drop the topic. For now.

Lexa chokes on her saliva as she hears the words, catching onto the double-meaning of the words.

_"Oh my god,_ that totally came out wrong, I'm sorry" Clarke slaps a hand over her mouth, "I meant for...for our date" she clarifies, unable to stop the dopey smile forming on her lips as she pronounces the word _'date'._ She, Clarke Elizabeth Griffin, has a date with the most beautiful girl she has ever laid eyes on.

"It's fine" Lexa brushes off, willing her cheeks to return to their usual color, "and to answer your question...I don't know yet cause, you know...it's a recent development and I kind of thought you'd regret it in the morning so-"

"I would never regret it" Clarke grows serious, "I've wanted to kiss you for a long time. Ever since we went shopping, if I have to be honest" she confesses.

"But you were with Finn back then..." Lexa pieces up, frowning.

"You're..." Clarke fumbles with the hem of her shirt, a habit she has picked on from Lexa, "you're actually the reason we broke up- I mean, not you per se, but my feelings for you. I tried to ignore them, I really did but they just grew everyday and there was nothing I could do to stop it so yeah...I had to end it with him because...because I really like you" she ends her rambling, chancing a glance at Lexa.

The girl's face is a mixture of shock and joy. A smile draws itself on the brunette's features and without really knowing what prompted her to do it _-maybe it was Clarke's soft eyes or her tentative smile-_ she surges forward and wraps her arms around Clarke's waist, picking her up from the floor which elicits a shriek of surprise from the blonde. It turns into giggling as the brunette spins them around with the sheer force of her arms. She gets an idea and with all her strength, lifts Clarke up, over her shoulder, the girl's head upside down as it faces the brunette's back.

"Let me go!" Clarke shouts through her laughter, bumping her fists against the small of Lexa's back.

Lexa simply smiles and starts walking through the house, regularly watching behind her to make sure Clarke's head won't bump into any furniture.

Clarke huffs, "all my blood is currently rushing to me head, just so you know"

"Good, maybe then you'll be smart" Lexa bites her tongue, grinning cheekily as she waits for retaliation. It comes in the form of a slap on her butt and she yelps in surprise, jumping slightly. She cannot see Clarke's face but she is sure the girl is grinning devishly from ear to ear, probably very proud of herself.

She descends the stairs slowly, heading to the couch. Jake raises his eyes from his newspaper when they stumble into the living room, "well hello, Lexa. May I ask what my daughter did to deserve such horrible treatment?" he smiles warmly to convey that he is simply joking.

"Do I need a reason?" the brunette archs an eyebrow, tightening her grip on Clarke's legs, the girl still upside down.

"Fair point" Jake laughs and watches as Lexa gently lowers Clarke to the couch.

"You're supposed to defend me, dad" Clarke crosses her arms in front of her chest and Lexa tries not to think of how the action results in more of the girl's cleavage being on display. She looks away with a heavy blush.

"I never agreed to anything like that" Jake denies, grinning widely.

"Whatever" Clarke mumbles, smiling. She shares a conspiring look with her father and he nods almost unperceptively.

"Lexa?" Jake calls for the brunette, "can you come here real quick?" he gets up and waves her over.

Lexa dubiously marches towards him, taking slow steps. Once she is within his vicinity, at arm's length, Jake moves forward and swiftly heaves her onto his shoulder, much like she did with Clarke.

"No!" she shrieks, laughing.

"That is a lesson learned" Jake starts heading outside, all under a bemused Clarke's watch, "never do to others what you wouldn't want to be done to you"

"You're so full of shit, dad. You just wanted an excuse to sound wise" Clarke says.

Jake gasps and Lexa mimicks the sound from her position over the man's shoulder, "no, you didn't" Jake whispers.

"I think she just did" Lexa chimes in, her voice taking on a dramatic tone.

"She wouldn't dare, would she?" Jake asks, eyes wide.

"It looks to me like she did dare" Lexa says, keeping up the act.

Clarke laughs at their antics and swats her hand against her father's chest then walks around him to crouch in front of Lexa. The brunette smiles sheepishly at her, her head pretty red due to the influx of blood to it. She wants to kiss the girl right now but her father is there and although she wouldn't mind letting him in on it, she doesn't know where Lexa stands on the matter. She settles for simply giving her a sweet smile.

"I think you can drop her now, dad" she tells him.

"No need, I'm good" Lexa lies.

"You look like your head is two seconds away from exploding" Clarke says, "you don't need to act tough, I already know you are"

Lexa smiles and asks Jake to let go of her, _"gently"_ she adds pointedly and his mischevious smile drops.

"You're no fun" he says before lowering her onto the couch, "so, all jokes aside, I have something to suggest" he says, gathering the two girl's attention, "I was thinking we could go to Disneyland next week. Just the three of us" he explains his plan.

Lexa's ears perk up and a smile draws itself on her lips, "really?" she cannot conceal her excitement and a small squeal escapes her lips. Clarke's heart melts upon seeing such joy on the brunette's face and she sends her father a grateful smile.

"Really" Jake confirms, "Clarke told me your birthday is on April 24th, which is a week from now and she thought it would be a good place to celebrate it. How about we go then?" he suggests.

Lexa is nodding eagerly before he even finishes asking the question. She jumps in Jake's arms, pleasantly surprising the man, "thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you" she repeats over and over again.

Jake laughs and pats her back, "you're welcome, kiddo" he says, smiling. He then whispers something in her ear and Lexa pulls away, then nods solemnly.

She gets up and walks to Clarke, engulfing her in a tight hug, "thank you" she whispers in the girl's ear. Clarke shivers and her arms come up to encircle Lexa's waist. Neither of them notices the several picture Jake is currently taking, too wrapped up in each other to take in their surroundings. When they separate, Clarke feels an almost irresistible pull towards the brunette's lips and it takes all of her self control not to steal them with hers. Her father is in the room, she continuously reminds herself. Instead, she glides her fingertips down Lexa's arm and subtly takes her hand in hers.

"I have to go to work" Jake announces, glancing at his watch, "there's some money on the counter if you want to order something to eat. I'll see you both tonight" he presses a kiss on both their heads then grabs his suitcase and walks out the door.

As soon as the door slams shut with a soft bang, Clarke jumps into action and kisses Lexa soundly on her lips. Her hands are on each sides of the girl's face and the slight sound of suprise that escapes the brunette's mouth is muffled by Clarke's lips, moving against hers. Lexa's back hits the wall and she moans into Clarke's mouth. The blonde takes advantage of it to slip her tongue into Lexa's mouth. She moves her hand to the back of the brunette's neck and uses it to pull the girl harder against her lips, taking control of the kiss.

She pulls back after a few more seconds, "sorry" she breathes out, "I just...you looked adorable and I just...I really wanted to kiss you" she explains, looking down.

Lexa smiles and ducks her head slightly to capture Clarke's lips in hers for a brief but sweet kiss, "no need to apologize" she whispers.

Clarke can see the wheels turning inside her head and she nudges her shoulder, "what's in that pretty head of yours?"

Lexa looks up and fumbles with the hem of her shirt, "about our date..." she hesitates, hoping Clarke is still on for that, "is tonight alright?"

Clarke smiles brightly and nods, "it's perfect" she whispers, "I can't wait"

"Okay, good" Lexa whispers back, "why are we whispering?" she asks, still keeping the same volume.

"I don't know" Clarke shrugs, "feels more intimate" she guesses.

Lexa nods and sits on the couch. She gasps softly when Clarke's weight drops on her lap as the blonde straddles her, snaking her arms around Lexa's neck. The brunette's hands move to her sides and she looks back into blue eyes, "why do you like me?" she blurts out, "I mean, you could have anyone. Why me?" the brunette enquires.

Clarke frowns, "why wouldn't I like you?" Clarke asks, "you're beautiful, sweet, selfless and altogether one of the best people I know"

Lexa stays silent and her small smile blooms into a huge grin when Clarke starts peppering kisses all over her face ; on her nose, on her forehead, on each of her cheeks and finally, on her lips. The brunette giggles and cranes her neck to chase Clarke's lips, silently asking for more. The blonde leaves one last kiss on plump lips before dropping her head on the brunette's shoulder. Lexa's arms circle her upperbody, holding her close as she relishes in the fact that she can do that now. Her heart flutters at the idea.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

"Sup, bitches!" Raven loudly yells as she and Luna enter the house unnanounced, using the spare key Clarke has given her. The blonde starts to question why she did that in the first place.

Lexa and Clarke jump apart before the two other girls can see the position they were in and Clarke falls to the floor with a loud noise.

"Oh my God, I'm _so_ sorry" Lexa apologizes as she helps Clarke up, eyes wide. Clarke simply laughs and takes the offered hand in hers, not letting go of it even after she's been pulled to her feet.

Luna looks down at their linked hands and raises an eyebrow, grinning, "y'all ain't that slick, you know" she says, pointing her finger at them, "something was happening before we came in. I don't know what, but I will find out"

Clarke blushes and looks away, "yeah, right" she mumbles.

"What were you doing?" Raven drops heavily on the couch, unashamedly sprawled out on it.

"Nothing" Clarke and Lexa answer in unison, smiling at each other afterwards.

"Right" Luna says, "I'm hungry. What are we eating?" she asks as she sits next to Raven.

Clarke rolls her eyes, "we were about to order some food for us, meaning Lexa and I" the blonde couldn't deny how satisfying it felt to utter _'Lexa and I'_

"Sharing is caring, Clarkey" Raven throws a pillow at her.

"Who said I care about you?" Clarke raises an eyebrow.

"Me" Raven states, "aka the smartest person in the room"

"I beg to differ" Clarke says, "I think Lexa's the smartest one" she smiles at the brunette.

"You're biased though, you're literally in love with the girl" Raven brushes off.

Clarke flushes red, "I-I didn't say... _whatever"_ she mutters under her breath and it goes ignored by everyone in the room except Lexa who is equally as red as her.

Raven gets up and grabs the phone to order some pizza which throws them into a huge debate over whether or not pineapple belongs on a pizza.

"This is gross" Luna says, "you people disgust me" she points a finger at Raven and Clarke when they say they like hawaiian pizza.

"It's good" Raven shrugs and Luna groans.

"Back me up on this, Lex" she turns to the brunette, almost pleading the brunette to agree with her.

Lexa's eyes shift from Clarke's to Luna's, "it's...it's not that bad" she says and Luna looks at her as if she's grown a second head but she knows it was the right answer when she sees the blinding smile Clarke sends her way.

"Thanks, babe" the blonde says, letting the pet name slip. She widens her eyes when she realizes what she's just said.

Her slight hope that no one heard it is taken away when Raven and Luna squeal in excitement, saying _'oh. my. god'_ repeatingly.

Lexa has been frozen in place since she's heard the term of endearment. Her mouth is wide open and so are her eyes. She never knew one word could create such a nice feeling in the pit of her stomach. She wants to jump around, to squeal in joy. More than that, she wants to grab Clarke's face and kiss her passionetly. Unfortunately, she can do neither of those things because one, jumping around would be weird and two, Luna and Raven aren't yet aware of the new development in regards to her relationship with Clarke. She doesn't wish to inadvertenly reveal something the blonde would perhaps rather keep hidden.

"Did you just call her babe?" Raven grins and throws her head back in laughter, "man, you're really bad at keeping secrets"

"You know you have to tell us everything, right?" Luna chimes in, smirking.

Clarke and Lexa let out a collective groan and Lexa hides her blush behind her hands while the blonde hesitates to reveal what happened last night. She doesn't want to upset Lexa by disclosing information the brunette would rather keep to herself. She leans closer to whisper in Lexa's ear, "can I tell them?" she asks because to be entirely true, she wants to. They're her best friends and they always talk about everything, especially about things as major as this.

Lexa hesitates shortly then nods, giving her wordless consent.

"We kissed" Clarke speaks out loud, a grin forming on her lips. Lexa's blush deepens but a small smile is playing on her lips.

"I _knew_ it!" Raven shouts, pointing her index finger at them, "fucking finally"

"I have to agree" Luna adds, "you guys sure took your sweet time"

_"She was with Finn"_ Lexa mumbles quietly but Clarke hears it anyway and feels a bit guilty when she thinks of how painful it must have been for Lexa to have to watch her interact with Finn.

"Not for the last two weeks" Luna points out, a brow pointedly raised.

Lexa shrugs and hides her red cheeks by burying her face into Clarke's neck, breathing in the girl's scent. It is the perfect mix between vanilla and the blonde's coconut scented shampoo.

"That is disgustingly adorable" Raven says, "I'm happy for you both" she smiles, putting the sarcasm to rest for now.

"Thanks, Rae" Clarke smiles.

Luna claps her hands excitedly, "we have to go on a double date" she gleefully exclaims.

Clarke chuckles a bit, "slow down. We haven't even gone on our first date yet"

"What!? What are you waiting for, princess?" Luna asks.

I'm waiting for you to stop using that nickname" Clarke answers, detourning the question.

"Never. Now answer the question" Luna says.

"I...actually..." Lexa speaks up, "I'm the one who's taking her on a date" she explains.

"Our baby's growing up" Raven looks at Luna while she wipes at imaginery tears, clutching her heart. The girl has always had a flare for dramatics.

Clarke rolls her eyes and scoots closer to smack Raven's forehead, eliciting a small 'ow' from the latina girl, _"rude"_ Raven mumbles.

Clarke ignores her and focuses her attention on Lexa who although not very participative in the conversation, still seems to feel at ease. She is happy with the progress the girl has made when it comes to interacting with others. Had it been a month ago, she's fairly certain the brunette would have been terrified at the mere idea of hanging out with Clarke's friends, let alone have an actual conversation with them.

"We lost them" Luna tells her girlfriend when she notices that the two other girls are lost in their own world, barely listening if not, not listening at all to a thing she's saying.

"We can be gross together too" Raven wiggles her eyebrows, puckering her lips up.

"Don't you dare start making out while we're still here" Clarke warns, still not diverting her eyes from where they are currently fixed, staring into Lexa's eyes.

"You're ruining all the fun, Griffin" Raven pouts but once again her whines are left ignored as Clarke glides her thumb along Lexa's knuckles, "I feel deeply ignored" the latina girl says, "it physically pains me" she adds dramatically, "this is not acce-"

"Shut up, Raven" Lexa boldly says and the girl falters in her words.

"Did she...did Woods just tell me to stop talking?" she asks in disbelief.

"I think her exact words were _'shut up, Raven'_ but I'm not sure" Clarke chimes in.

Raven crosses her arms in front of her chest, pouting, "I don't like what you've done with Lexa. She used to be such a sweet girl before you Griffinized her"

"Stop making words up" Clarke says, rolling her eyes, "besides I didn't do anything. She just realized how annoying you were" she shrugs, failing at concealing her grin.

She yelps as a cushion hits her in the face and what started off as a playful banter turn into a full-on pillow fight, Lexa and Luna unwillingly being sucked into it, forced to play against their will.

"Get back here, asshole!" Raven yells after a fleeing Clarke while Luna has Lexa pinned to the couch, hitting her repeatingly with a cushion while the brunette laughs, shielding herself with her forearms. Clarke lunges forward, barreling into Luna, effectively freeing Lexa who mouths _'thank you'_ at her.

Their moment of peace is broken when Raven emerges from the kitchen, holding a package of flour in one hand and a whipped cream can in the other.

"Oh no" Lexa whispers before sweeping Clarke off her feet by placing her hands respectively behind her knees and on the girl's back as she lifts her off the ground and runs upstairs carrying her bridal style, dodging some flour as she does so. Clarke wraps her arms around Lexa's neck and giggles at each step that makes them bounce slightly. They make it into the safety of the bedroom and Lexa hurries to lock the door, a millisecond before they hear the doorknob being turned.

"You coward!" Raven yells from the other side of the room.

Clarke erupts in laughter, the adrenaline slowly leaving her body. She is still in Lexa's arms and quite honestly she would remain right here forever if she could. She cranes her neck and drops a kiss on the right corner of the brunette's lips before asking the girl to lower her to the ground.

"Thanks for saving me" Clarke says and laughs when she hears Raven's loud banging from the other side of the room.

"Open the door, Griffin" Luna chimes in, "we just want to talk" the smirk can be heard in her voice.

"I'm not suicidal" Clarke shouts back.

The ring of the doorbell interrupts them and Clarke can hear Raven loudly descending the stairs. A few seconds later, they hear the front door being shut and Raven's voice rings through the house, "pizza's here!"

Lexa goes to open the door but Clarke stops her, "this is a trap" she whispers, blocking the girl's way.

_"Claaaarke"_ Lexa whines, "I'm hungry" she says and as if on cue, the brunette's stomach grumbles, "see?"

Clarke sighs, knowing she can't deny Lexa anything anyway, "alright but I go first" she carefully unlocks the door, then stills, her body unmoving as she tries to listen to any sound indicating they aren't alone on this floor.

When no sound reaches her ears, she turns the doorknob and walks out. She is immediately greeted by a grinning Luna who throws a handful of flour in her face, "got you!" the girl yells.

Lexa tries to stiffle her laughter behind her hand but it is useless. Clarke turns around and sends her a glare, "this is your fault" she accuses.

Lexa simply shrugs, smiling widely and she steps closer to wipe the flour off the blonde's face, brushing her thumbs along the girl's cheek, "you still look beautiful" she whispers boldly.

Clarke's glare disappears and is replaced by a wide grin. She pecks Lexa's lips, unpurposely smudging some flour on the girl's lips and chin.

Luna pretends to gag and goes back downstairs, "I think I liked it better when you two were simply pining after one another" she jokes as she disappears down the stairs.

Another grumble of Lexa's stomach pulls them out of the moment they were having and draws a laugh from Clarke, "you really are hungry, aren't you?" Lexa shrugs bashfully, her cheeks heating up slightly, "let's fill that belly of yours" Clarke links their fingers and heads downstairs.

Raven and Luna are already seated at the living room table, throwing pepperoni at each other.

"Seriously?" Clarke throws her arms in the air, "you're gonna clean after yourselves" she warns them.

"Of course" Luna nods then grabs a pizza box and hands it to them, "here's your shit pizza" she says, disgust lacing her words.

Clarke takes a slice of the hawaiian pizza and hands one to Lexa, "I'm not arguing with you about this again"

"Because you know I'm right" Luna says, munching on her pepperoni pizza.

"Keep telling yourself that" Clarke rolls her eyes.

They move to the living room after eating, deciding to watch a movie. Luna and Raven sit on the couch which only leaves the single person sofa for the two other girls. One look into Raven's eyes tells Clarke that they did it on purpose. She sighs and guides Lexa to the sofa, instructing her to sit, "is it okay if I sit on your lap?" she then asks.

Lexa nods and opens her arms so Clarke can take a seat. Once the blonde is settled comfortably, the brunette brings her arms to wrap around Clarke's waist, her front pressed against the girl's back. They don't really register what movie has been put on, that is until Clarke chances a glance at the screen and realizes that Raven decided on a horror movie. **_Awesome,_** she thinks sarcastically. On top of it, the latina girl had to choose Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

The first scare happens and Clarke jumps out of fear. Lexa tightens her hold on her waist. Three minutes later, Clarke has shifted her position on Lexa's lap and is now sitting sideways, hiding her face into the brunette's neck and gripping the girl's shirt into her fists as she fearfully peeks at the screen. Lexa's senses are heightened and she can hear clearly the small hitches in the blonde's breathing which occur every few minutes.

Clarke loses interest in the movie rather quickly and starts leaving soft kisses on Lexa's neck instead.

"Clarke" Lexa whispers, her gaze darting towards Raven and Luna who seem completely enraptured by the movie, "they could see"

Clarke hums but continues her descent of the brunette's neck, keeping her kisses chaste despite her desire to latch her lips onto the girl's pulsepoint. Lexa squirms and giggles softly due to how ticklish she is in that area of her body. Clarke smirks against her skin and keeps going.

"Clarke" Lexa whispers loudly, "stop" she says, not without a smile, "it tickles" she half-heartedly complains.

Clarke detaches her lips from the smooth skin and raises her head to meet Lexa's eyes. She watches as they shift downards to glance at what she assumes are her lips and that's all the encouragement she needs to connect their lips. She wonders how she has managed to hold off kissing Lexa for so long when it's all she can think about whenever the girl is around. She also wonders why they weren't doing this earlier. A noise coming from a bit further reminds her why. They're not alone. And although that should push her to stop, she finds she cannot get enough of Lexa's lips on hers.

"Clarke, we're not alon-" Lexa starts to say but her words die in her throat when the blonde sucks on her bottom lip then tugs at it with her teeth, drawing a quiet moan from the brunette, before releasing it. Lexa tries to maintain a sense of control but she soon ends up lost in the taste of Clarke's lips and she finds she doesn't want to stop. Not now, not ever. She kisses Clarke back with renewed vigor and her hands travel up and down the length of the blonde's back.

Loud hollers force them apart and as their minds emerge from their lusted state, they take in Luna and Raven, standing above them once again with a camera in hand.

"Are you kidding me?" Clarke exclaims, turning her head to look at her two other friends, "you took a video!?"

Raven raises her hands in defense, "you shouldn't have started making out in the middle of our movie night"

"It's three in the afternoon" Clarke points out.

"Whatever" she says while pointing at the phone, _"that_ is instagram worthy"

Lexa flinches when she hears the word instagram, not wanting to have a video of them making out on the internet for everyone to see. Clarke picks up on her discomfort and fixes Raven with a glare, "you post that and I'll break every single one of your fingers" she threatens.

"Relax, I'm just messing with you. Though, ten bonus point for being a very protective girlfriend" she winks at them then goes to grab her jacket, "we'll let you have some privacy, ciao" she announces before leaving, Luna in tow.

Clarke doesn't even think of scolding her for not cleaning up the mess she has made earlier because her mind pretty much stopped working when she heard the word _'girlfriend'_ escape the girl's lips. Is that what they are? What exactly are they doing? So many questions erupt in Clarke's mind and she realizes that she doesn't really know what she's doing with the brunette. They have kissed a few times and have been overly affectionate _-though that last part was already something they did before the kiss-_ but what does that really mean to them? She knows what she wants. She wants Lexa to be her girlfriend but what she ignores is what Lexa's thoughts on this are. What if the girl isn't actually looking for a serious relationship?

"Clarke?" Lexa waves a hand in front of her face.

"What are we?" Clarke blurts out.

Lexa frowns, "w-what do you mean?" she splutters out, not understanding.

Clarke passes a hand through her hair, "I mean what are we doing? Of course I like you and I'd like to think you like me too" her words are confirmed by a nod from the brunette, "but we haven't made anything official yet and Raven just called us girlfriends and I'm just confused and I guess what I'm trying to say is..." she clears her throat, "will you be my girlfriend?" she asks quietly, barely above a whisper.

A deafening silence settles in the room for a few seconds and Clarke is about to go back on her words when Lexa speaks up, "you..you want to be..my girlfriend?" a smile grows on the girl's lips as she speaks.

Clarke nods, still waiting on an answer, "please say something because I'm nervous as fuck right now and I don't think I can wait any longer"

Lexa nods, smiling brightly, "yes" she simply says.

"Yes?" Clarke asks to make sure she heard right.

"Yes, I want to be your girlfriend, Clarke. More than anything" Lexa reiterates and she barely has time to prepare for how Clarke suddenly surges forward and pulls her in for a searing kisses that has every hair on her body rise as goosebumps form on her skin.

She brings her arms around Clarke's waist, holding her close as her tongue grazes the blonde's lower lip, begging for entrance which is granted to her in a heartbeat. She still cannot believe she can now kiss Clarke whenever she wants to. Clarke is her girlfriend. She is having a really hard time wrapping her mind around that.

"Can I say something?" she asks when they pull away. She feels Clarke nod against her forehead, "I think I've never felt happier" she confesses.

Clarke's heart jumps in her chest and she doesn't think she's ever smiled so big. Her hands find purchase in Lexa's, "I feel the same way" she whispers.

"Thank god" Lexa breathes a sigh of relief, "cause it would have been weird if you didn't" she laughs lightly.

Clarke laughs as well and pecks Lexa's lips repeatedly, before moving up and kissing the girl's nose. Lexa's nose crunches up adorably and Clarke melts at the sight.

This is how Jake finds them when he comes back home and the two girls know that no amount of denying could convince him that they're not together so they don't even try. They're just thankful it was him and not Abby.

"I see you've figured things out" he smiles kindly.

Lexa shies away a bit, not really sure how to act now that the man knows. She cannot help but fear that he'll react badly. Jake senses her doubts and pulls her into a hug.

"Don't look so scared" he laughs, "if someone deserves my daughter, it's you" he reassures her.

"Thank you, Jake" she whispers.

The man pulls back, eyes wide and a grin plastered on his face, "you called me Jake" he points out, seemingly very happy.

Lexa nods and ducks her head, still a bit tense. Clarke's hand slips into hers and she relaxes instantly at the contact. The blonde's hand is soft against her own and gives her a feeling of safety.

Jake walks to his daughter, "if you hurt Lexa, I'll never speak to you again"

Clarke gasps, "you're supposed to give her the talk, not me" she accuses.

"Yeah well, I like Lexa better" he teases her.

Lexa giggles and Clarke points a finger at her, "do not encourage this" she says, "why is everyone always ganging up on me?" she throws her hands in the air.

"Life is hard, isn't it?" Jake ruffles her hair affectionately before pulling her and Lexa into a bear hug, "I love you both" he says.

Lexa's eyes tear up upon hearing the words. Her parents never told her that they loved her. She has never had any resemblance of paternal love until now, thus hearing this from Jake stirs up emotions inside of her that she cannot stop. Before she knows it, she's crying on the man's shoulder and Clarke moves behind her to embrace her as well.

"I'm sorry" she whispers a few moments later as she wipes at her cheeks.

Jake lets go of her but Clarke remains still, hugging the brunette from behind. Lexa is surprised at how soothing it feels to be in this position.

"Don't ever apologize for the way you feel" Jake tells her, winking at her before entering the kitchen.

"Is it okay that he knows?" Clarke asks, her mouth pressed against brown curls.

Lexa nods and turns in the embrace, snaking her arms around the blonde's waist as her head falls to the girl's shoulder, "I'm scared of what will happen when your mom finds out" she confesses.

Clarke nods because she too fears her mother's reaction, "maybe it would be best if we keep this for ourselves" she suggest, "for now at least" she adds.

Lexa nods, "yeah, maybe"

 

 


	9. A date to remember

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here is another chapter ;) I hope you'll like it!

 

 

Lexa's currently pacing across the room, wracking her mind for an idea on where to take Clarke for their date. It suddenly hits her. She doesn't have any money. **_Fuck,_ ** she thinks, **_how am I supposed to take her out without money?_** She drops on the bed and sighs heavily. She only has one option. It's embarrassing and unconventional and she wouldn't normally resort to this but she has no choice.

"Jake?" she knocks on the door of his study room.

"Come in" he says, not raising his eyes from the stack of papers on his desk as he scribbles something on a sheet of paper.

Lexa tugs at the hem of her shirt, "I have a favor to ask" she nervously says, cheeks tinted with a faint pink.

Jake places his reading glasses on his forehead and drops his pen to clasp his hands together, "what is it?"

Lexa scrapes the back of her neck, "well I...I asked Clarke on a date tonight but...well, I don't have any money and I know this is a lot to ask but-"

"How much do you need?" he interrupts her, smiling.

"I don't know...I was thinking we could go to a restaurant but I don't really know any and I'm freaking out because I have no plan and she's going to hate it" Lexa starts panicking, realizing how unprepared she is for this.

"Slow down, kiddo" Jake laughs, rising up from her seat to step closer to her, "you'll do absolutely great" he tells her, then goes over to his desk and scribbles something.

Lexa bounces on her heels as she waits patiently. The man walks back to her and hands her a piece of paper.

"This is the adress of a nice restaurant two streets down" he fishes a few bills from his wallet and hands it to her, "and this should be more than enough for both of your meals. You can even go buy something afterwards with the remainder of the money if you'd like"

Lexa accepts the money and wraps her arms around the man's waist, "thank you"

"Of course" he answers, patting her head, "go make my baby girl happy" he encourages her, "you've got this, Lexa. You'll do great"

"I hope so" she says before leaving, thanking the man once more.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

 

Lexa's standing outside, having insisted that she wanted to do this the traditional way and pick Clarke up at her house. Clarke had chuckled at that and told her she was a dork but it was all worth it when she got a small kiss from the blonde afterwards.

She is bouncing nervously, talking herself into walking up the steps and ringing that doorbell. Easier said than done. She starts questioning her whole plan, imagining all the ways that it could go wrong. She loosens the tie Jake gladly let her borrow and pulls the sleeves of her white, neat shirt up to her elbows. She wipes her sweaty hands on her black slacks and picks up the flower bouquet she bought before arriving. After making sure she looks presentable, she takes a deep breath and goes up the stairs then presses on the doorbell. No turning back now. She hides the flowers behind her back and waits for the door to open.

It does after a few more agonizingly long seconds and Lexa suddenly forgets how to breathe as her jaw falls to the ground. Clarke looks absolutely beautiful. Her blonde hair is flowing over her shoulders, light make up is making her eyes stand out and she is a wearing a nightblue dress that stops a little above her knees. The dress shows off a bit of cleavage and Lexa can't stop her eyes from drifting down. She detaches her stare from the blonde's ample chest and blushes when she sees the smirk on Clarke's face, a clear indicator that the girl knows exactly what she was staring at.

She clears her throat, "you look amazing" she breathes out, trying to hide her nervousness behind a smile.

"You don't look too bad yourself" Clarke replies, "what are you hiding behind your back?" she questions and that's when Lexa remembers what she's brought. She has almost forgotten due to how enraptured by Clarke's beauty she's suddenly become.

"Oh yes, right!" she exclaims, "these- uh...these are for you" she stutters out as she presents the bouquet of white roses to the girl. She thought red roses would have been too cliche.

"They're beautiful" Clarke smiles as she accepts the flowers, bringing them to her nose to inhale the scent that emanates of it, "and it smells amazing, thank you" she presses a kiss on Lexa's cheek, "I'm going to put that in water. I'll be right back" she whispers in the brunette's ear and the shivers that run through Lexa's body in that moment are most definitely not due to the cold air of the night.

Clarke comes back and Lexa offers her arm to hold, mentally patting herself on the back for remembering the basic rules of chivalry despite her obvious nervousness.

They walk arm in arm for a few seconds before Clarke tilts her head to the side, "where are we going?" she asks, eager to know.

"You'll know soon enough" Lexa decides to keep some of the mistery alive.

Clarke pouts but doesn't protest. She simply keeps walking, trying to guess where they are heading. At some point, she slips her hand down the length of Lexa's arms and intertwines their fingers, getting a soft smile in response from the other girl.

"So...I don't really know the restaurant but your dad said it was a good one" Lexa explains when the building comes into view.

Clarke's eyes widen and she lets out a gasp when she sees where they stopped, "no way, I love this place" she says, beaming.

"You do?" Lexa unconsciously breathes a sigh of relief at this piece of information.

Clarke nods happily, "we used to go here a lot with my parents because it is very close to home...not so much anymore because of how my mom is but...yeah, it's a great place" she pushes away her thoughts of her mom and focuses on the way Lexa's thumb is reassuringly drawing circles on the skin of her hand.

They walk inside and after announcing their reservation, a waiter leads them to their table. Lexa hurries so she can pull out Clarke's chair for her.

"You're sweet" Clarke tells her when she takes a seat.

Lexa blushes and walks to the other side of the table, lowering herself on the chair. Her nerves suddenly settle back in. **_What are you supposed to talk about on a first date?_** First topic that comes to her mind is the weather but she quickly rules that idea out. No way is she going to be that person who fills in the blanks in the conersation with a talk about how rainy the past few days have been. Thankfully, Clarke seems to know exactly what to do and the blonde is already speaking.

"I thought I'd be the one asking you out, if I'm being honest" she smiles.

"Why?" Lexa frowns.

"Because I do not think I'm mistaken when I say you're pretty shy" she giggles at the slight blush that takes over the brunette's cheeks, "I'm glad you did it" she says, taking Lexa's hand in hers over the table, staring deep into emerald orbs.

The waiter breaks the moment as he reaches their table and hands a menu to each girl, smiling politely before walking away. Lexa opens it and almost chokes on her saliva when she sees the prices. The money Jake has given her is enough but still, she did not expect the cost of the meals to be so high. Clarke, on the contrary, seems unfazed as her eyes rake over the menu and Lexa is reminded of how different their lives were before they met each other. _This,_ is normal for the blonde. She has always lived in a rich environment and doesn't really know anything else. For Lexa, however, this is an all new lifestyle that she has to get used to. She's not holding it against Clarke, though. The girl didn't choose this life and she has a feeling Clarke doesn't exactly love being born in a wealthy family.

She scans Clarke's face as the blonde thinks about what to order and is once again subjugated by how utterly beautiful Clarke is. Lexa doesn't how she managed to get so lucky as to be with such a beautiful girl, inside and out, but she sure as hell will do her best to not fuck this up.

"Lexa?" Clarke waves a hand in front of her face and that's when she realizes that she has completely spaced out, "am I really that boring?" she jokes, chuckling.

"No" Lexa shakes her head, "I just...you're really beautiful" she decides to go with the truth and knows it was the right decision when a smile appears on Clarke's face.

"Thank you" the blonde looks down at her menu, cheeks tinted with a faint red. Lexa's smooth without even trying to be.

Lexa smiles smugly and finally looks at the menu. She spots the least expensive meal out of those she likes and drops the menu back on the table.

"Tell me something I don't know about you" Clarke says, placing both hands under her chin, giving Lexa her unrequited attention.

Lexa wracks her mind to find something interesting to say but doesn't really come up with anything, "...uh I used to wear glasses" she says.

Clarke's eyes light up, "you did?" she beams, "why don't you wear them anymore?" she enquires.

"My vision isn't so bad that I have to wear them. Besides, I used to get picked on by kids at the playground everytime my parents took me there so I just stopped wearing them" she shrugs as if it was nothing but Clarke can see the slight quiver of her lower lip.

"I'm sorry this has happened to you" she says, reaching to squeeze Lexa's hand with her own.

"It's fine" Lexa brushes off, "it's in the past now" she offers a strained smile.

"Do you still have the glasses?" Clarke asks out of curiousness.

Lexa nods, squinting her eyes, "my parents kept them just in case. They're a bit small now but they still fit and my vision hasn't really gotten worse since. Why do you ask?"

"Could you put them on someday?" Clarke requests.

"I'll look stupid" Lexa mumbles, shaking her head.

"I personally think it would look adorable on you" Clarke argues.

Lexa opens her mouth to reply but is interrupted when the waiter comes back to the table, "are you ready to order?" he asks.

They nod and each take their turn informing him of their order then turn their attention back to each other once he's gone.

"You ordered one of the cheapest things on the menu" Clarke points out, "I can pay for it if you don't have enough money"

Lexa knows Clarke has good intention but it hurts to be reminded of how poor she actually is and how penalizing it is in her everyday life.

"I'm not letting you pay, Clarke" Lexa firmly says, "I asked you out so I will pay" she states.

"Oh..." Clarke's face falls slightly, "of course..I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that..."

Lexa feels a pang of guilt when takes in Clarke's crestfallen look. She is afraid she has ruined it already, "no, I'm the one who's sorry" she apologizes, "I just...I want this to be perfect because that's what you deserve. You deserve perfection and I'm not mad at you, I'm angry at myself for not being able to give you exactly that" she looks down at her hands as a few angry tears escape.

"Lexa" Clarke calls but the brunette refuses to meet her eyes, "Lex, look at me" she gently grabs the girl's chin, tilting it up and looks intensely into watery green eyes, "this is perfect. Do you know why?" Lexa shakes her head, "it's perfect because I'm with you. You hear me?"

Lexa slowly nods and Clarke gets up to get closer to her. She crouches down and cradles Lexa's face in her hands.

"I don't need you to take me to a fancy restaurant or to buy me expensive stuff. I can do that myself" she says as gently as possible, her thumbs gliding against soft cheeks, "I just need you to be yourself because I like you for you, not for what you can buy me" Lexa nods and Clarke leaves a delicate kiss on her lips, lingering for a few seconds before pulling away.

"I'm crying on our first date. This is so lame" Lexa chuckles as she wipes at the tears on her cheeks.

"I think it's cute that you care so much about how this date goes. But trust me, you don't have to worry about anything. This is already the best date I've ever been on" Clarke smiles up at her then gets back up to sit back on her chair.

"It's only fair you tell me something about you..." Lexa says, trailing off.

Clarke hums in thought, smiling when she finds something, "I am deadly scared of clowns. Just hearing the word makes me cringe"

"Really?" Lexa raises an eyebrow, "well, that makes sense. They are pretty creepy" she admits.

"I know right!" Clarke exclaims, "and those assholes that I call my friends _-god knows why-_ like to surprise me with horror movies about that"

Lexa laughs, "is it insensitive if I say I would like to witness this?"

_"Yes!"_ Clarke all but shouts, gathering the attention of a few patrons, "sorry" she apologizes, "it would be very insensitive of you and I would have to reconsider being your girlfriend" she threatens.

Lexa smiles at the word _girlfriend,_ "we don't want that happening" she shakes her head, a serious expression on her face.

"Most definitely not" Clarke mirrors her expression and they stay like that for a few seconds before erupting in laughter.

"I'm having a really good time" Clarke says.

"Me too"

Their plates arrive and the conversation dies down for a few seconds, both savouring the first bites of their dish. Clarke lets out a moan close to obscene as she chews on a piece of her steak and Lexa spits her water in her drink when she hears the sound.

"You okay there?" Clarke asks with a smirk, knowing perfectly the kind of effect she's having on the brunette and enjoying every second of it.

Lexa hums, using her napkin to wipe at her mouth before picking up her fork and her knife, busying herself with eating her pasta while willing her cheeks to return to their habitual color.

"You seem a little red" Clarle teases, "are you sure you're okay?" she smirks.

Lexa raises her eyes to glare at Clarke and stabs into a pasta, "stop bullying me" she says and it causes Clarke to erupt in a fit of laughter.

"You can be funny sometimes" she points her fork at the brunette once her laughter has tampered off.

"Only sometimes? I'm offended" Lexa retorts.

Clarke smiles and moves her chair and her plate so that now she's sitting next to Lexa, having had enough of the distance between them. She takes Lexa's left hand and links it with her right one. Being left-handed while Lexa's right-handed really is advantageous for situations like these.

"I don't think you're supposed to sit here" Lexa laughs nervously when she notices the stares they're getting.

Clarke shrugs, "I wanted to be closer to you"

Lexa's heart skips a beat and Clarke really needs to stop saying those kind of things if she wants Lexa to survive the date. She wills her heart rate to remain steady as Clarke's head falls to her shoulder. Tentatively, she brings one arm to wrap around the blonde's waist. She hears Clarke sigh contentedly and allows herself a short moment of relief. **_Fuck what people think,_ ** Lexa tells herself. She's been waiting for this since she met the blonde.

Clarke is in the middle of a sentence when Lexa places her fingers under the girl's chin, tilting it up before connecting their lips. It is rare for Lexa to initiate physical contact of any kind even now that they have established they are together, thus it comes as a surprise to Clarke that the brunette would kiss her like that, out of the blue, not that she's complaining. She sits up a bit more so she can return the kiss properly.

Eventually they realize they're in a public place and cut it short before it becomes more heated.

"What was that for?" Clarke asks, smiling widely.

Lexa shrugs and looks down at her plate, "I just...really wanted to" she shyly admits, chancing a glance at the blonde. Clarke smiles and picks up her fork to finish eating, her head dropping back to Lexa's shoulder.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

When it's time to pay, Lexa sees Clarke pull out her wallet and she stops the girl's hand instantly, "you're not paying" she leaves no room for any protests.

"You don't have money" it isn't meant to be offensive. Clarke is simply stating a fact.

"Your dad gave me some" Lexa bashfully explains, looking away.

Clarke gently grabs her chin, "hey, it's alright. There is nothing to feel embarrassed about"

"I can't even afford to take you out on a date.." Lexa voices her frustration, "you deserve better than this"

Clarke's features harden, "only I get to decide what I deserve" she firmly says, "like I said before, I chose you because I like you. I don't care that you can't buy me anything because being with you is the best gift I could ever get" she says in a softer tone.

"You really mean that?" Lexa asks, raw vulnerability seeping in her voice.

"I really do" Clarke nods, smiling.

Lexa grabs Clarke's face in her hands and pulls her in for a searing kiss, this time completely disregarding the fact that they're still inside the restaurant building. Clarke's hands still in the air for a few seconds before she lets them rest on the brunette's waist. Her tongue brushes along the roof of Lexa's mouth before being granted access. They both moan as their tongues make contact.

A throat is cleared and they jump apart. The waiter is standing next to their table, the receipt in his hand. He drops the piece of paper on the table and gives an awkward smile.

"Thank you" Lexa says quietly, blushing profusely.

As soon as the waiter's gone, Clarke erupts in laughter, grabbing her stomach as she does so.

Lexa slaps her shoulder, "it's not funny, Clarke" she mumbles.

"It is" Clarke argues, still laughing.

Lexa kisses her. If anyone asks, she'll say it is meant to shut Clarke up but in reality, it is simply because the blonde's laughter stirs an undescrible feeling within herself and the only way to quench it is to press her lips against soft, pink ones.

"I think I like this new, more confident version of you" Clarke smiles.

Lexa blushes but smiles nonetheless. She can see the manager staring at them from the corner of her eye and quickly leaves the money on the table, then gets up, offering her hand to Clarke. She hides her nervousness behind a well-practised smile. So far everything's been going well. Clarke hasn't run off yet. But then again, the date isn't over and Lexa keeps in mind that something could still go wrong. It is just hard for her to fathom that things could ever go smoothly for her. This all seems too good to be true.

She places her hand on the small of the blonde's back as she guides them to the exit. They start the short walk to the house. From the corner of her eye she sees Clarke shiver. She curses herself for not thinking of bringing a jacket with her then she remembers the suit jacket in her bag and pulls it out. She drapes the smooth fabric over Clarke's shoulders.

"Thank you" Clarke smiles, blushing slightly as she holds the suit jacket against herself.

Lexa nods and mumbles _'you're welcome'_ as she tries to not make it too obvious that she's cold too.

"You're cold" Clarke says and it isn't a question.

"I'm fine" Lexa brushes off, waving her hand dismissively. Clarke raises an eyebrow disbelievingly, "I really am" Lexa says.

She sees Clarke begin to take the suit jacket off her shoulders and wraps her fingers around the girl's wrists, stopping her movements without actually applying any pressure.

"Keep it" she all but whispers. She hopes it isn't too obvious she has no idea how to do this. She's never been on a date, let alone been the one planning it and she's scared she's doing it all the wrong way.

"The date won't be any less perfect if you don't give me your jacket. You know that, right?" Clarke softly says, pinpointing exactly the reason of Lexa's sudden quietness, "would it make you feel better if I wore the jacket?"

Lexa nods, giving her wordless confirmation. She doesn't understand how Clarke can read her like an open book. She's not used to having someone break through the walls she has built for herself.

"I just...." Lexa starts but doesn't finishes her sentence.

"You just...?" Clarke softly encourages her to finish it.

Lexa looks at her then sighs heavily, "I feel like I'm doing it all wrong" she admits, "this...this just means a lot to me and I don't want to fuck it up already..." she tries to explain.

Clarke steps forward and engulf the girl in a bone-crashing hug, "stop overthinking this" she whispers in the brunette's ear, "this is perfect. _You're_ perfect"

Lexa relaxes in Clarke's arms and lets herself believe those words. She is tempted to correct Clarke on the claim that she is perfect but refrains from doing so. Instead, she reciprocates the hug by encircling the blonde's waist with her arms. It still surprises her how calming a hug from Clarke feels. She never thought she would ever long for someone's touch as much as she does when it comes to the girl.

"You really like this date?" she needs to make sure.

"I love it" Clarke replies instantly, certainty and honesty lacing her words, "wait" she says, pulling away as she comes to a sudden realization, "I'm the mistery girl you and Luna were talking about"

Lexa nods, smiling shyly, "you are" she confirms. Clarke starts laughing and Lexa tilts her head on the side, confused by this reaction from the blonde.

"I can't believe I was jealous of myself" Clarke says, still laughing.

Lexa smiles, "you were jealous?" she asks, eyebrows raised.

"So fucking jealous. I thought you were into some random girl" she admits.

"That's why you were in a sour mood after that conversation" Lexa connects the dots. Clarke nods, "I'm sorry" the brunette whispers.

"What for?" Clarke frowns.

"Making you sad" Lexa shrugs, feeling responsible for the blonde being upset back then now that she knows the reason for it.

"Aren't you tired of always being so damn selfless?" Clarke asks rhetorically, "it isn't your fault if I was sad" she adds, "even if I wasn't the girl you were talking about, none of it would have been your fault. You shouldn't apologize for how people react to something"

"Then is it wrong of me if I'm a bit happy that you felt jealous?" Lexa asks quietly.

"Not at all" Clarke replies as she raises a hand and brushes a strand of hair behind Lexa's ear, "Lex?"

"Yes?" Lexa says, barely audibly.

"Can I kiss you?"

Lexa nods, "please" her eyes flutter shut when Clarke's face gets close. She feels the blonde's warmth breath against her lips before they are being captured by the blonde's. A hum works its way up her throat and her hands find Clarke's between them.

The blonde intertwines their fingers and gets on her tiptoes to get a better angle to kiss Lexa. She brushes her tongue along the brunette's bottom lip and relishes in the quiet whimper it elicits. Her hands travel up Lexa's arms to come and cup her cheeks.

"I have a question" Lexa says when she pulls away.

Clarke smiles, "ask away"

"So you're my girlfriend, right?" she asks just to make sure because she still has difficulties believing this is happening to her.

Clarke laughs, "I am your girlfriend" she confirms and Lexa's heart jumps in her chest at hearing the verbal confirmation.

"Cool- I mean, not cool, it's great" Lexa stutters out to Clarke's great amusement, "so uh...does this mean I can kiss you whenever I want or are you not okay with this because if you're not then I underst-"

"You can kiss me whenever you want" Clarke interrupts her.

"What if you don't want me to do it?" Lexa asks, needing to clarify.

"I trust you to stop if you feel like it's not completely consensual"

Lexa nods, taking in the information. She looks so serious right now and Clarke feels a warmth in her chest at the idea that Lexa truly wants to make sure she feels comfortable with whatever the brunette might do.

They have now reached the house and both quietly slip inside. Jake is standing at the end of the hallway, arms crossed over his chest. They both freeze, very much looking like deers caught in the headlights. Both stare at the man, eyes wide, not really knowing what they did wrong.

Suddenly, a huge smile splits Jake's lips and he pulls Lexa into an unexpected hug. She tentatively hugs him back, still thinking this must be some kind of trap.

"How did it go?" he whispers in her ear, only for her to hear.

"Uh..it went well...I think" she answers hesitantly.

He lets go of her and slaps a hand on her back, sending her a few steps forward, "I'm proud of you, kid" he tells her.

"Th-thank you, sir" she splutters, "thank you, _Jake"_ she corrects herself when she sees the stern look on the man's face.

He ruffles her hair affectionately, ignoring her groan of protest, then goes over to his daughter, "she's a keeper" he tells Clarke in a whisper.

Clarke looks over to where the brunette is currently pouting while rearranging her disheveled hair, "I know" she nods, smiling fondly.

She sees the girl looking at them from afar, not coming any closer. She gestures at her to step closer.

"We're going to go upstairs before my dad can start a full-on interrogation on the date" she whispers in the brunette's ear. Lexa nods and follows the blonde, waving at Jake who smiles back at her.

The blonde quietly closes the door behind them and excuses herself to the bathroom to get out of her dress. She comes back in a simple white shirt and grey shorts and laughs when she sees Lexa struggling to get out of her shirt.

"Clarke...I'm stuck" she says, arms above her head which is hidden by the fabric.

Clarke laughs again and steps closer, "how did you even do that?" she asks.

"...I forgot to fully unbutton my shirt before pulling it over my head.." she quietly says. Clarke shakes her head and works on undoing the last few buttons before helping the brunette discard it.

"You really are something" she tells her as she throws the item of clothing across the room. Lexa shrugs bashfully and grabs her pyjama top as well as some leggings. She puts them on and sits cross-legged on the bed.

"Did you _really_ like the date? You're not just lying to make me happy, right?" the brunette asks once more.

Clarke smiles fondly and sits next to her, "of course I did" she whispers, "to be honest, you could have planned the worst date ever _-which is not the case-_ and I would have still loved it for the sole reason that I got to spend time with you"

Lexa blinks away tears. No one has ever willingly wanted to hang out with her. In her very few contacts with other people, she had to make the first move otherwise she'd just be alone. She's not used to having someone pick her first. She's not used to people caring about her.

Clarke's thumb comes up to brush away a traitorous tear which escaped the brunette's eye, "what's wrong?" the blonde softly asks.

Lexa shakes her head, "nothing...just...thank you for being my friend"

"Just a friend?" Clarke teases to lighten the mood. She rejoices in the ghost of a smile that appears on the girl's lips.

"More than just a friend" Lexa corrects, smiling as she looks down at her hands because she does not trust herself to keep it together if she looks into the blue of Clarke's eyes, "the thank you applies to that too" she adds.

She makes the mistake to raise her gaze and tears quickly form in her eyes, "I'm sorry" she says, brushing them away, "I'm just..." she trails off, waving her hand absentmindedly in the air, "I'm just so thankful" she tries explain her sudden tears.

"So, those are not tears of sadness, right?" Clarke takes her hand in her own.

Lexa shakes her head, "you just..." she huffs when she finds herself at loss for words. Instead, she does the first thing she can think of and presses her lips against the blonde's.

Clarke feels the cold of brunette's tears against her cheeks and pulls away slightly to kiss them away before clasping her hands on Lexa's neck and closing her lips around the girl's bottom lip, suckling lightly on it.

Lexa finds that she cannot get enough of Clarke's lips and she knows that now that she got a taste of it, she won't be able to live without it. She doesn't ever want to have to live without it. Her hands grab Clarke's hips and she gently pulls the girl closer to herself as the blonde's arms wrap fully around her neck, pressing their bodies closer together.

Clarke feels the brunette's body tremble against hers and pulls away ever so slightly. The girl is shaking with sobs and Clarke's heart breaks.

"Please don't leave me" Lexa croaks out through her tears, voicing her fears.

"I won't" Clarke knows it's a bit soon to make any promises but she hasn't been surer about anything in her life, "I'm not going anywhere" her arms wrap even more tightly against the girl as she holds her close.

At some point they move on the bed so that they're laying on top of the blanket, Lexa's body draped over Clarke's as they're pressed against each other.

"Why did you do it?" Lexa's voice echoes through the room.

Clarke frowns, "why did I do what?"

"Take me in" Lexa clarifies, "you didn't know me but you stopped the car and helped me anyway. Why?"

"Because I'd like to believe someone would do the same thing for me if I were in your situation" Clarke shrugs, "because I wasn't about to let someone freeze in the cold, under the rain, when I knew I could do something to help"

Lexa nods and buries her face in Clarke's neck, "you're an incredible person" she whispers into it.

"So are you" Clarke whispers back. Lexa hums non-commitedly, "I mean it" the blonde insists, "you're amazing"

Lexa doesn't say anything else. She nods ever so slightly and leaves a kiss on Clarke's neck. The blonde shivers.

"Are you cold?" Lexa asks sleepily, fighting to keep her eyelids from drooping.

Clarke shakes her head, "no" she answers, her lips pulling into a smile. She lets her eyes drift close and simply enjoys the warmth emanating from the body next to hers.

It is silent for a few minutes before Clarke speaks again.

"I could fall in love with you" she confesses, needing to let her feelings out.

She doesn't hear any reply and the soft breathing of the other girl indicates her that Lexa has already fallen asleep. Her lips form a soft smile and she moves slowly and carefully to pull the covers over both their bodies before wrapping her arms around her girlfriend.

 

 


	10. A not so friendly reminder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW : use of homophobic slurs

 

 

They enter the school hand in hand after the weekend, smiling dumbly at each other. They agreed to not keep their relationship a secret and to openly show that they're together, consequences be damned.

Clarke sees Finn look at them from afar, his eyes drifting down to their intertwined fingers. A sad look appears on his face before it is replaced by a small smile.

He walks towards them, "so...are you two together or something now?" he scratches the back of his neck.

Clarke hesitates then nods, hoping it won't hurt the boy's feelings too much, "we are" she confirms.

"I'm happy for you both" he tells them. Clarke can hear the slightly off tone of his voice but somehow she knows he means those words.

"Thank you, Finn" Clarke smiles at him.

He gets closer to Lexa so he can whisper in her ear, "please take good care of her" he pleads.

"I will" Lexa promises him. He nods then walks away, throwing one last smile in their direction.

Clarke turns to face the brunette, "what did he tell you?" she enquires.

Lexa smirks, "wouldn't you like to know" she says.

"Oh, come on" Clarke pouts and Lexa almost relents. Almost. Instead, she kisses the pout away.

When they break apart, she can feel a few more stares on them and keeps her gaze on her girlfriend to avoid having to face other students' inquisitive looks. Whispers can be heard but they ignore the sounds as they walk to their first period.

Clarke can feel eyes burning into the back of her skull as she passes the threshold and she turns around to be met with Costia's jealous glare, the girl leaning against the lockers. She pays it no mind and walks forward to take her usual seat at the back of the classroom.

Mr. Pike enters the classroom silently as usual and drops his briefcase heavily on his desk with a loud noise, startling the few students who weren't paying attention, "today, we'll do pop quiz to see if you've been studying" he announces.

Clarke's head falls onto her desk so violently that Lexa fears the girl has injured herself, "Clarke, are you okay?" she winces when she sees the red mark on the girl's forehead.

"I'm going to fail" Clarke says dejectedly.

Lexa frowns, "you won't" she tells the blonde, "you're smarter than you think. You should trust yourself more"

"I haven't studied though...I'm totally going to fail. My mom's going to bite my head off" Clarke buries her face in her hands. Her mother told her earlier this month that if she failed another math test, she would be forced to take private lessons and she didn't want that.

Lexa thinks it over and makes a split second decision. She looks around, making sure Mr. Pike is out of earshot, then leans over her desk to whisper in the blonde's ear, "you can copy my answers if you're stuck at a question"

Clarke's eyebrows shoot up, "that's sweet of you but you'll only get in trouble. Don't worry about me"

"I always worry about you" Lexa whispers, unaware of how Clarke's heart missed a beat upon hearing the words, "you do it just this once and I'll tutor you for the upcoming exam" she insists.

Clarke sighs and runs a hand in her hair, mulling over her possibilities, not that she has many. It's either cheating on this test or failing and having to take private lessons, "okay" she ends up agreeing, "but it can't be too obvious that I'm cheating"

Lexa cranes her neck and smiles when she catches a glimpse of another's student's paper, "this is a multiple choice answer test" she grins, "alright, see my index finger?" she whispers as she places it next to her copy, "I will tap it against the desk. Once if the answer is A, twice if the answer is B, three times if it's C and so on. If you want me to repeat an answer, you tap your finger as many times as the number of the question"

Clarke nods, impressed at how quickly Lexa came up with that, "you're a freaking life saver" she breathes out, "I would kiss you if I could"

Lexa smiles and schools her features when she sees Mr. Pike approach with the copies. He hands one to each of them, then stalks off to sit on his desk, "you have fifty minutes" he tells them, setting a timer on his phone.

Everything goes well. Each time Lexa finishes a question, she transmits the answer to Clarke. The blonde always checks a second time to make sure the answer looks correct. It's not that she doesn't trust Lexa to get it right because she knows the girl to be a genius but she would rather not take any chances. Every now and then she raises her gaze to make sure Mr. Pike isn't catching on what they're doing. The teacher's phone rings, indicating the end of the alloted time and he gets up from his chair to collect the sheets of paper. Clarke changes a couple answers to not make it too obvious that she has been cheating. She simply wants to pass and doesn't need a perfect score. She nervously hands her test to the teacher and Lexa smiles reassuringly at her as she does the same thing.

The school bell rings and students pack up their stuff, already whispering about how badly they think they failed. Mr. Pike is seated at his desk, smirking as though he knows exactly how low the students' grades will be. _**Sadistic asshole,** _ Clarke thinks to herself.

As soon as they're out of the class, the blonde grabs Lexa's hand and pulls her along outside the building. Lexa's eyebrows furrow, "Clarke?" she calls the blonde's name, confused as to what she's doing, "we're supposed to go to our next class"

Clarke doesn't respond. Instead she leads them behind the building, in a desert area and shoves Lexa against the brick wall without any warning, drawing a yelp of surprise from the girl. Her eyes are dark and filled with a mixture of want and adoration as she steps closer and kisses the brunette with a burning passion.

Lexa's eyebrows shoot up to her hairline and her eyes fall shut as her hands move up to frame Clarke's face. She ignores the slight ache in her back from the impact with the wall as she kisses Clarke back with equal intensity.

Clarke is impressed that Lexa manages to keep up with her frantic rhythm. She runs her tongue across the brunette's lower lip and revels in the moan it draws. She slips her tongue past plump lips and lets out a pleased hum when their tongues make contact. She starts exploring the girl's mouth, her tongue eagerly sliding alongside the brunette's as she places open-mouth kisses on the girl's lips.

She doesn't want to ever stop kissing Lexa but they eventually have to break apart momentarily to catch their breath. Less than two seconds later, however, Clarke's lips are back on Lexa's, tasting everything the girl has to give. Her hands grip the brunette's hips and move up and down her body as she presses her own against it, considerably reducing the space between them.

Her thigh slips between the brunette's legs, drawing a small whimper from the girl and Lexa would have been embarrassed by the sound was she not so turned on. Clarke slows it down a notch, biting gently on Lexa's bottom lip, being careful not to draw any blood. She soothes it with her tongue afterwards and with the knowledge that their time is coming to its limit, she forces herself to pull away from tantalizing lips.

Lexa's eyes open slowly. They are hooded and her pupils are dark, soft pants leaving kiss-swollen lips as her chest heaves up and down in sync with her heavy breathing. Clarke is in a similar state as she stares at the disheveled aspect of her girlfriend. Lexa's curls are a bit all over the place and her cheeks are tinted with a soft pink.

"What was that for?" Lexa breathlessly asks, trying to regain her senses.

"You have no fucking idea of how amazing you are" Clarke whispers, "besides, I did say I would kiss you if I could" she reminds her, "I can't believe you helped me cheat" she chuckles, "Lexa Woods, pristine student, helped me cheat" she giggles, "you must really like me" she teases, poking Lexa's cheeks.

The teasing tone is lost on Lexa as she answers in all seriousness, "I do really like you, Clarke" her eyes bore intensely in a sea of blue.

Clarke's lips part slightly, clearly not expecting this answer. She blinks a few times then closes the distance and once again seeks out Lexa's lips, kissing the girl more slowly this time. It is briefer than their previous kiss but just as passionate nonetheless and Lexa chases Clarke's lips when the girl pulls away.

The blonde chuckles and pecks her lips once more, "I really like you too" she whispers.

Lexa lets a blinding smile escape and her eyes shine with happiness as she stares down at her girlfriend. **_My_ _ **g** irlfriend,_** she repeats in her head. She will never tire of those words.

The bell interrupts their moment and they suddenly remember they have a class to attend to. Clarke throws her head back and groans.

Lexa laughs and starts walking, turning around when she notices Clarke isn't following, "come on, Clarke"

"Don't want to" Clarke smirks.

Lexa rolls her eyes and lifts Clarke up from the ground, carrying her in her arms bridal style. The blonde gasps, clearly not expecting this move and she circles Lexa's neck with her arms.

"Shall we go, my queen?" Lexa jokingly says though she truly sees Clarke as a queen.

Clarke smiles and nods, pressing a kiss to Lexa's cheek which is now painted in the faint pink of a blush. The brunette still has difficulties believe how lucky she has become and she thanks the universe every single day for it.

She lowers Clarke to the ground once they're inside the building and the blonde immediately leads them to their next class. They're late but neither girl really cares, though Lexa still utters a small apology to the teacher as she goes to take a seat, purposely avoiding to look at Raven's knowing smirk.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

She sees Costia approach their table at lunchtime and moves the hand that was currently holding her water bottle to Lexa's waist. Costia's eyes follow the movement and a scowl settles on her features.

"Can I talk to you, Lexa?" she asks, _"alone"_ she clarifies, staring at Clarke.

Lexa nods, oblivious to the sudden tension and Clarke begrudgingly lets go of her waist, not wanting to come off as overly possessive. She watches as Costia leads her girlfriend outside, a tight grip on her fork.

"Careful there" Luna smirks, "you look like you're about to break yet another fork" she teases.

Clarke loosens her hold on the cutlery slightly and angrily stabs into her food, trying to keep her mind from drifting to thoughts of what Costia could possibly be telling Lexa right now.

"Damn" Raven whispers, "you know nothing will ever happen between Lexa and Costia, right?" Clarke hums non-commitedly because really, she doesn't know for sure, "I'm serious, Clarke. _That girl"_ she says, referring to Lexa, "only has eyes for you. She would never do anything to endanger your relationship"

"You think so?"

It is rare for Clarke to show this vulnerable side of herself. One would think she never faces self-doubt but that's just a fake mask of confidence that she puts on in order to not appear weak in front of others. So far the only people who managed to crack through that facade are Raven, Luna, her father and Lexa.

"I know so" Raven confirms and Luna nods approvingly, "you have nothing to worry about" the latinabgirl reassures her.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Lexa follows the girl skeptically, wondering what exactly she wants to talk about. She hopes it doesn't have anything to do with the date she was asked on. Her hope vanishes when Costia comes to a stop and starts speaking.

"I just don't understand why you turned down my offer to go on a date" she furrows her brows, "don't get me wrong. I'm not pretentious enough to think it's impossible but I just...you never really gave me an explanation"

Lexa fumbles with the hem of her shirt, looking down at her fidgety hands, "...sorry..." she murmurs, "I didn't mean to...I just..."

"You love Clarke" Costia finishes, trying her best not to let her jealousy show. She has no right to be jealous after all. Lexa never gave any indication that there was going to be more between them.

Lexa chokes on her saliva, _"w-what?_ No" she exclaims and is quick to explain when she sees a small flicker of hope surge up into the other girl's eyes, "I mean..I like Clarke. A lot" she clarifies, "we're...we're together" she lets a dumb smile escape at this, "but love...love is a big word" she says more quietly.

Costia tries not to let her disappointment show and she takes a step back, nodding in understanding, "well, I hope you two will be happy together" she gives a strained smile. It doesn't sound entirely genuine but neither girl questions it and they both go their separate ways.

The word _'love'_ echoes through the brunette's mind as she walks back inside. Could it be that she's in love with Clarke? She shuts down the idea quickly, too scared of the implications of such thing and sighs heavily before reentering the cafeteria. She can immediately feel Clarke's eyes on her and she sends her a small smile which is reciprocated by the girl.

As soon as she sits back down, Clarke's arms wrap around her and she frowns at this sudden display of affection, not really understanding where it comes from but not being against it either, "is everything okay?" she asks, turning to raise an eyebrow at Luna and Raven who shrug as though saying _'don't ask me'_

Clarke hums positively, resting her head on the brunette's shoulder, "I missed you" she whispers.

Lexa tries to play it cool even though those words cause a pleasant warmth to spread through her chest, "I was simply gone for two minutes"

"I still missed you" Clarke shrugs.

Luna and Raven pretend to gag and receive a glare from Clarke which makes Lexa laugh lightly.

"I love your laugh" Clarke whispers in her ear so that the other two girls can't hear them.

Lexa blushes and ducks her head a bit, "thank you" she murmurs, daring herself at leaving a kiss on the top of Clarke's head which is resting against her chest.

They both try to ignore Bellamy's snickering as he passes by them but he really makes it hard not to punch him in the face.

_"Dykes"_ he says through a fake cough.

Clarke jumps from her seat, "the fuck did you just say?" she shouts, standing tall in front of the boy.

The cafeteria is now unusually silent as students have stopped moving to listen to them. He shies away under her cold stare and mumbles _'nothing'_ before hurrying out of the room, feeling much less brave without alcohol in his system. Clarke rolls her eyes and sits back, fighting the urge to run after him. He's not worth her time and energy. However, she notices how Lexa has fallen oddly quiet- well, even more than usual.

She places a hand on the girl's back but Lexa rises from her seat and wordlessly storms out. Clarke's mouth falls open in confusion and her eyes dart from Lexa's retreating figure to Raven and Luna who look just as lost as she does. It takes her a little while to regain her senses and she runs after the brunette as soon as she does so.

She starts to panic when she can't see the girl anywhere then remembers something. She hesitates then leaves the school, strongly hoping she isn't wrong about this.

She jumps over the small wooden fence of the park and heads towards the playground. She sighs in relief when she sees Lexa sitting on one of the swings but it shifts into a sad frown when she takes notice of how the brunette's body is shaking with sobs and tears are leaking from her eyes. She ignores the way her heart shatters at the sight and runs the remainder feet between them. She crouches down and takes Lexa's hands in hers, startling the girl who still hadn't noticed her presence.

"Clarke?" Lexa calls, her voice heartbreakingly small, "h-how did y-you find me?" she cannot repress a hiccup.

Clarke lets go of one of Lexa's hands and brushes the brunette's tears away with her thumb which isn't very effective because new ones are already forming in the girl's eyes, "I took a guess" she whispers, "I'm glad I was right" she adds. She then takes Lexa's hand back in hers, "what's wrong?" she whispers in a worried voice, blue eyes filled with concern looking up at the brunette.

Lexa shakes her head and cries harder, unable to form coherent words. Clarke calmly gets up and helps the girl up, then lowers them both to the ground, wrapping her arms as tightly as possible around the brunette without actually suffocating the girl.

She rocks them gently, each of the girl's sobs shooting through her chest to pierce a hole in her heart, "it's okay, you're okay" she whispers in the girl's hair, "I'm here"

"I'm s-sorry" Lexa sobs out, gripping Clarke's sweatshirt in her fists, inhaling shakily.

"Shhh" Clarke tries to soothe her, "you have nothing to apologize for" she continues their rocking motion, noticing how the brunette's muscles seem to relax progressively.

Lexa's face drops inside the crook of Clarke's neck and the blonde can feel the wetness of her tears against her skin. From the corner of her eye, she sees a woman looking at them strangely, she connects her eyes with the woman's and the latter looks away, then grabs her daughter's hand and walks further down the park. Clarke focuses her attention back on the crying girl in her arms.

She presses multiple kisses on the brunette's head, whispering words of reassurance until Lexa's breathing becomes significantly less erratic and the death grip she has on Clarke's sweatshirt loosens.

"I wrinkled your sweatshirt" she whispers when she pulls her head away from its position against Clarke's neck, brushing her hands against the fabric of the item of clothing, hoping to get rid of the newly formed crinkles.

Clarke chuckles slightly, bewildered that this is the first thing her girlfriend thought of, "it's nothing. Don't worry about it"

Lexa nods and drops her head on Clarke's chest, wrapping her arms around the girl's waist, loving the sense of safety the blonde's hold provides her with.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Clarke gently asks.

Lexa's first instinct is to shake her head and keep her feelings bottled up. It's what she's done her whole life with her parents but then again, Clarke isn't her parents and the blonde has proven herself to be trustworthy thus after a few seconds of hesitation, she nods against Clarke's chest.

Clarke remains silent. She knows Lexa has agreed to tell her the reason of her sudden tears and she thinks she has an idea about what the reason might be but she won't pressure the girl into speaking until she's ready to. So she waits. She waits for Lexa to feel comfortable enough to talk, she waits for an explanation she is dying to get but won't force out of Lexa.

"That word...that he said..." Lexa starts, trying to keep her tears at bay, "that's the one....the one my parents.." he throat constricts around the words, making it hard to keep on talking, "my parents used it w-when I..when I came out" she inhales deeply, her bottom lip quivering, "and I just... _hearing it_ just..." she doesn't finish her sentence and she doesn't need to because Clarke understands.

 

 

**_[[[ A little less than a month ago ]]]_ **

 

 

_"Mom...dad..." Lexa calls quietly as she enters her parents' small bedroom._

_"What is it, Lexa?" her father asks from his position at the desk._

_"I need to tell you something..." she fearfully says, having had enough of keeping her true self hidden._

_Her mother stops what she's doing and looks the brunette up and down, "okay but please make it quick, you know your dad and I are busy lately"_

_Lexa nods and inhales shakily. She fumbles with the sleeves of her worn-out sweatshirt, trying to gather enough courage to let the words out._

_"Well?" her father prompts her, "we don't have all day"_

_She nods once more and looks down as she speaks, "I'm...I like girls...I'm gay" she all but whispers and were her parents' faces not in a state of shock, she would have thought they didn't hear her._

_At first, a deafening silence settles into the room, then a chair falls to the ground with a loud slam as her father rises violently from his seat, advancing dangerously close to the brunette. Lexa takes a step back, shying away in fear. She has never seen such anger on her father's face and immediately regrets telling them. She can see the devastated look on her mother's face. The woman is looking at her through eyes filled with disappointment and disgust._

_"What?" her father spits and somehow the single word is enough to send shivers of fear running through Lexa's body, "tell me I heard this wrong"_

_She is tempted to say that yes, he heard her wrong but that would just be erasing all the progress she has made in regards to self-acceptation. With all the courage she possesses, she speaks her next words, chin held high, "you haven't heard wrong. I'm gay, I like gi-"_

_She doesn't get to finish her sentence as a hand collides with her cheek in a violent slap, "shut up" her father snarls._

_She moves her hand to touch the now bruised area of her face, her skin burning from the sharp impact. Tears well up in her eyes when she realizes that her father hit her. He has never laid a hand on her before._

_"You are a disgrace to this family" he barks, shoving her brutally against the wall._

_She shouts in pain and one look behind her father shows her the figure of her mother, standing a bit further, watching the scene without doing a thing._

_"_ _You have five minutes to pack your stuff and leave. I don't ever want to see you again"_

_The world seems to stop spinning as those words are uttered. Time comes to a stand still and every sound is drowned out as her father's words echo in her ears. She gapes at him, her mouth opening and closing a few times without any sound escaping, tears falling freely from her eyes, "..what?" her small, broken voice lets out, "you c-can't do this" she feels her throat tighten._

_"I can do what I want. Get out of my sight" he says without even looking at her._

_"I'm your daughter!!" she screams desperately to make him change his mind._

_"_ _Not anymore" he says, completely unaffected by her tears, "my daughter is no dyke" he spits the word. The insult pierces through her heart like an arrow would._

_Lexa chances a glance at her mother but the latter isn't looking at her. The woman's eyes are fixed on the floor, cowarding away from her daughter's pleading eyes._

_"Mom...p-please.." she begs in one last attempt to make them see reason, "y-you c-can't agree with th-this" she says through heartwrenching sobs._

_"Get out of our house" her mother simply says and Lexa tries to walk up to her but is stopped by her father's strong hand on her chest, shoving her away._

_She tumbles backwards and barely catches herself on a shelf, nearly avoiding falling to the floor, "you can't...you can't just throw me out" her voice breaks on the last word._

_"Three minutes" her father insensitively says, looking down at the watch on his left wrist._

_Breathing becomes harder and she uses all of her strength to get her feet to work. She drags herself to her room and starts packing the necessary items. Everything feels dull and she barely even registers what she's doing. She doesn't understand how things went downhill so quickly._

_She walks back downstairs. She feels numb, her eyes are seemingly lifeless. She doesn't really feel anything apart from exhaustion. She sees her father, holding the door. She is too tired to even try to beg him again to let her stay. Her mother isn't even here._

_She walks past the door, into the dark and the cold of the night and jumps when it slams shut behind her. She drops to her knees on the sidewalk, holding her bag tightly against her chest as loud sobs wreck her body._

 

 

**_[[[ Present time ]]]_ **

 

 

The blonde puts one hand behind the girl's head, holding her close to her, against her chest and she repeatedly kisses the top of the girl's scalp, "I'm sorry. I'm _so_ sorry this has happened to you" she whispers, ignoring the tears falling down her own cheeks.

She is taken by a sudden rage and a burning desire to yell at Lexa's parents, to make them pay for the pain they caused. She also wants to punch Bellamy for being the reason Lexa is being reminisced of such events. Above all things, she wishes her arms wrapped around the brunette could somehow protect her from all harm. That's just wishful thinking and she knows that but that doesn't mean she won't try.

"Maybe it was for a reason" Lexa shrugs.

Clarke frowns, "what do you mean?" she asks, confused.

Lexa lifts her head from where it was resting, instantly missing the comfort of Clarke's chest and the warm feeling the physical contact offered, "if my parents hadn't kicked me out, I wouldn't have met you" she explains, looking deeply into blue eyes that she has come to love so much.

Clarke thinks over those words, a flutter erupting in her chest, "wouldn't you rather be with your parents?" she voices her thoughts.

"Honestly?" Lexa asks and Clarke nods, "no" the brunette answers, "I wasn't happy there" she says, "but I'm happy with you. You make me happy, Clarke" she smiles at the blonde, "I wouldn't give what we have up, even if it meant having my parents back"

It is Clarke's turn to cry as she hears Lexa's words. She leans forward and moves a hand to grip the back of the brunette's neck before pulling her forward so that their lips meet in a gentle kiss.

"We should probably go back to school" Lexa whispers against the blonde's lips.

"I really don't want to. Do you?"

Clarke's warmth breath hits Lexa's lips and she almost forgets what they were talking about, "no" she whispers before tilting her head up, kissing the blonde once more.

They keep the kiss chaste this time and after they break apart, Clarke scoots against the trunk of a tree, resting her back against it and patting the space between her legs, slilently asking Lexa to take a seat there.

"I'm not the little spoon, Clarke" Lexa crosses her arms in front of her chest.

"How do you even know that term?" Clarke raises an eyebrow.

"Raven" Lexa simply says and it's enough of an answer.

Clarke shakes her head and pats once again the space in front of her, "think of it as being the front spoon. You can protect me if anything happens" she tries and it seems to work because Lexa uncrosses her arms and settles in between Clarke's legs. The blonde smiles contentedly and wraps her arms around Lexa's middle, the girl's back pressed against her front.

"I'm not the little spoon" Lexa reminds her, "I'm just protecting you" she says, closing her eyes.

Clarke laughs and leaves a kiss in brown curls, "of course, baby" she whispers, letting the term of endearment slip.

Lexa's cheeks take on a pink tone as she hears it although a huge grin is now splitting her lips, "I like when you call me that" she admits.

"You do?"

Lexa hums, keeping her eyes closed as she enjoys the feeling of Clarke's arms around her. The blonde makes a mental note to use the word more often.

"Also don't think I didn't pick up on the sarcasm in your voice in your earlier sentence" Lexa adds.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Clarke plays dumb and yelps when Lexa lightly pinches her wrist, "Lexa!"

"Serves you right" Lexa grins, happy with herself.

Clarke huffs but a huge smile breaks free and she leaves on kiss on the brunette's neck, "you're lucky you're cute" she murmurs.

"So you think I'm cute? Duly noted"

"You already knew that I think you're cute" Clarke rolls her eyes.

"I might need a reminder" Lexa turns to look at Clarke, craning her neck to the side.

"You are extremely cute and I like you a lot" Clarke whispers, _"baby"_ she adds, just because she can. Lexa smiles and puckers her lips up. Clarke chuckles and lowers her head to peck the brunette's lips.

"I love your lips" Lexa whispers.

"Is this confession night?" Clarke raises an eyebrow.

"It's the middle of the day, Clarke"

"You know what I meant"

"I really don't. Please explain further" her smile can be heard in the brunette's voice.

"You're an ass" Clarke laughs and slaps her thigh.

"You like me though" Lexa traps her tongue between her teeth as she smiles and settles more comfortably against Clarke.

"Sometimes I wonder why" Clarke says and this time she is the one who receives a light slap on the leg.

It is quiet for a few minutes, the only sounds being the chirping of birds and the wind smacking against the trees, until eventually Clarke speaks again.

"Bellamy's an asshole" she says, "don't listen to what he says"

Lexa nods, "I know...I know..." she sighs, "I try to tell myself that he's only doing this because he's mad at me for turning him down but then again...hearing him say stuff like this...it hurts" she finishes speaking.

"And it's normal to feel that way but don't let yourself believe what he says. You are amazing, keep that in mind" she presses a kiss into Lexa's hair.

"How did I get so lucky?" Lexa wonders aloud.

"I think we both got very lucky"

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

They don't return to school for the rest of the day. Clarke leads them back home, knowing her father will be okay with it anyway (her mother doesn't have to know about it). She walks to the right corner of her room and pulls a dvd out of one of the shelves. She grins as she holds it up for Lexa to see and the brunette frowns.

"Titanic?" she says, "I've never seen it" she shrugs.

Clarke's eyes widen almost comically, "we have to remedy that" she says decidedly, bending down to insert the disc in her dvd-player.

Lexa tries her best not to stare at the blonde's backside and fails miserably. Clarke turns around and squints her eyes when she sees Lexa quickly look away but doesn't comment on it. She simply smirks and sits next to the brunette, linking their fingers as the movie starts.

She grabs a pack of tissues and hands it to the brunette, "you might need that for the end of the movie" she whispers, smirking.

"Are you insinuating that I'm going to cry? Because I'm not, Clarke"

"Sure, babe" Clarke hums, "keep telling yourself that" she grins and settles between Lexa's legs, finding it more comfortable.

The brunette doesn't seem to mind as she wraps her arms around the blonde's middle and drops her chin on the girl's head.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

"Why are they so stupid?" Lexa throws her hands in the air in frustration and Clarke giggles, "what are you laughing at?"

"You" Clarke keeps laughing, "you're cute when you're frustrated"

"There is space for two on the raft!" Lexa points agitedly at the screen.

They witness Rose's futile attempts to save Jack's life before she watches him sink to the bottom of the ocean.

"So stupid" Lexa huffs.

Clarke is about to say something when she hears a barely there sniffle behind her, "are you...are you crying?" she asks with a grin, turning around to confirm her suspicions, "oh my god, that's adorable"

"Shut up" Lexa mumbles, "it's freaking sad"

Clarke smiles and takes a tissue out of the box, handing it to the brunette who takes it with another huff.

"Kickass commander defeated by a romantic movie" Clarke mocks not without a fond smile adorning her face.

Lexa slides her hands down Clarke's body and pinches her sides, making the girl jump in her arms with a shriek, "Lex!" she turns around, a betrayed expression on her features.

Lexa leans a bit forward, her lips mere inches away from the shell Clarke's ear, "pay attention to the movie" she whispers before subtly blowing air onto the blonde's ear, causing her to shudder. **_When the fuck did she become so smooth?_** Clarke wonders, trying to hide how utterly turned on she is right now. Lexa smirks, probably knowing exactly what she has caused, and settles back against the pillows. The movie goes forgotten when Clarke swiftly turns around and claims Lexa's lips as she straddles the girl.

Lexa's hands move up and down her sides and tentatively slip under the girl's shirt, "is this okay?" she asks in between kisses.

Clarke nods eagerly and Lexa moves her hands higher, sliding them along smooth skin, feeling more daring. She almost moans at the feeling of finally having Clarke's skin under her fingertips but refrains from doing so. She brings her hands to rest on the small of the blonde's back and pulls her slightly closer to herself. Clarke responds by nibbling at her lower lip before gliding her tongue over it. She can feel herself start to get aroused and logically knows they should put a stop to this before it goes any further but can't bring herself to do so when Lexa's touch feels so good against her bare skin.

"You're so hot" Clarke whimpers as her hands slide down the length of Lexa's arms before moving back up and cupping the brunette's cheek, reconnecting their lips with renewed fervor. Lexa moans into her mouth and explores Clarke's back with her hands, relishing in the warmth of the blonde's skin.

"Clarke..." she whispers when the blonde dips her head lower and starts leaving kisses down her neck. She never knew something could feel this good. She cranes her neck to the side to give Clarke more space to work with and a hand tangles in blonde hair just as Clarke starts sucking lightly on her pulsepoint, drawing a strangled moan out of her.

Clarke's mouth then moves to her jaw, kissing up the length of it before reattaching her lips to plump ones.

"We should sto-" any protests Lexa had die in her throat when a warm tongue invades her mouth and curls around her own. Her mind goes blank and all she can feel are Clarke's lips against her own, Clarke's tongue exploring her mouth and Clarke's hands respectively on her shoulder and on the nape of her neck.

The blonde brushes the baby hair at the back of Lexa's neck as she changes the angle of the kiss, her nose bopping against Lexa's. She pulls away for air before diving back in, latching onto the brunette's lips as if it was the last time she would get to do this.

The door flies open and they jump apart but not quickly enough. Clarke gasps and Lexa's blood runs cold when she sees Abby standing at the door, the woman's eyes filled with nothing but pure fury.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't you just love a good old cliffhanger? ;) (sorry not sorry)  
> The angst in this was pretty hard to write but it was also necessary to further develop Lexa's background


	11. Trouble in paradise?

 

"Get out of my house" Abby enunciates each word clearly, features set into a hard look as she fixes Lexa with a murderous glare.

Lexa stands up on wobbly legs, ready to flee the room when Clarke's fingers wrap around her wrist, turning her around.

"No" Clarke stands up to her mom, positioning herself in front of Lexa.

Abby frowns, her face settling into a scowl, "this isn't up for discussion. I don't know what this girl has done to pressure you into her sickening lifestyle but I won't let her d-"

"Shut up. Just, shut up" Clarke cuts her off, closing her eyes in exasperation, "she didn't pressure me into anything. I'm doing this of my free will. Do you know why? Because I'm bisexual. I'm bisexual and I like Lexa"

Abby slaps her hard. Lexa gasps and puts both hands over her mouth, eyes wide.

"You will stop spilling this nonsense immediately. We'll find you a nice boy and you'll forget about those unnatural thoughts of yours"

Clarke puts a hand on her bruised cheek and laughs humorlessly, "you really think you can just slap it out of me?"

"If I have to, that's what I'll do until you stop acting so irrationally. And _you"_ Abby points at Lexa and tries to reach for her, "you will stay away from my daughter or-"

"Don't touch her" Clarke says, menacingly low, "you touch a single hair on her body and I'll make sure you regret it" she threatens.

Abby ignores the threat and shoves her aside, making her fall on the bed then she tightly grabs Lexa's upper arm, yanking her forward to pull her out of the room.

Lexa whines at the pressure applied on her arm, "you're hurting me" she whimpers as the woman drags her out of the room.

"Let go of her!" Clarke yells, charging towards her mother, using all of her strength to unwrap Abby's fingers from where they are tightly circling the brunette's upper arm. Once Lexa's arm is free, she places her body in front of the girl.

Abby's features turn dangerously menacing, "you come into _my_ house and you dare turn _my_ daughter against me?!" she yells at Lexa, startling the girl with the loud volume of her voice, "I will personally make sure you get sent right back to wherever the hell you come from" She storms out, clearly not going to let this drop anytime soon.

Clarke runs towards the door and locks it before running back to Lexa, cradling her in her arms.

"I'm so sorry" she whispers, "I'm so, so sorry"

Lexa doesn't return the embrace. The wheels are turning inside her head and a nagging feeling of guilt is creeping up within her. Clarke has been slapped by her mother twice. Both times it had a direct correlation to Lexa and she more and more feels like the blonde would maybe be better off without her.

"I should leave" she says robotically, her voice void of any emotions. Her eyes almost as empty as they were the day Clarke found her on the pavement.

Clarke pulls away, "what? No, no you're not leaving" she objects, "we're going to go through this together. I'll protect you" she promises, "my mom...she won't be able to do anything to you" she grabs Lexa's forearms and ignores the hurt she feels when the brunette pulls away from the touch.

"It's not me that I'm worried about" Lexa quietly says, her eyes wandering around the room, looking anywhere but at Clarke.

Clarke frowns, blinking away the tears prickling at the corner of her eyes, "I'm fine" she speaks slowly, "this has happened my whole life. I can handle it"

"I can't" Lexa simply says, once again taking a step back when Clarke steps forward, still not looking into Clarke's eyes because she knows a single glimpse into blue orbs would make her whole resolve crumble.

The brunette starts packing her bag in a tense silence.

Clarke moves towards her, "so that's it? You're just going to leave me? After everything?"

"You might not see it but I'm doing this for your own good" words prove to be difficult as her throat constricts around each of them. She clears her throat to get rid of this tightness to no avail.

 _"My own_...do you even hear yourself, Lexa?" her sorrow turns into anger as she hears the words uttered by the brunette, "I told you that I wanted to be with you. How is you leaving going to help me be happy!?" she all but shouts, "I'm happy with you!" she gestures angrily at the brunette.

"For now!" Lexa shouts back, "you're happy for now" she repeats more quietly, "it's not going to last. It never does. All I bring to people is pain. Don't let me be the obstacle to your happiness"

"Right now the only obstacle to my happiness is if you leave" Clarke wipes angrily at her tears, "don't do this"

She sees the tiniest flicker of doubt into the brunette's forest eyes and it prompts her to continue.

"Please don't throw away what we have just because of my mom..." she isn't above pleading at this point, "I need you"

Lexa stops her movements, her hand is hovering over the doorknob, completely still. Her eyes are fixed on the ground.

"Lexa, I swear to God, if you walk out that door" she motions to it, "it's over" she says with finality, "if you walk out that door" she inhales shakily, "don't ever come back"

The brunette's eyes hurt with the burn of the hot tears currently rolling down her cheeks, "I'm sorry" she murmurs before lowering her hand to the doorknob and opening the door.

Clarke drops to her knees, tears falling freely. Lexa hasn't looked at Clarke a single time during the whole exchange and maybe that's what hurts the most.

The brunette is about to close the door behind her when she hears the most heartbreaking sound she has ever heard. Clarke lets out a heartwrenching sob and Lexa's entire body stills. She is still halfway inside the room, halfway outside. Her heart and her head engage into a fierce battle. Her head is screaming at her to walk away but her heart is begging her to walk back inside and hold the girl currently crying on the floor of her bedroom.

For the first time since Abby walked out of the room, Lexa chances a glance into blue eyes and finds them filled with forming tears, waiting to be freed. Clarke is looking back at her with red, puffy eyes and tear stained cheeks.

Her heart wins, of course it does.

She realizes her mistake. She thought wrong. She thought Clarke didn't care about her that much. She thought her departure would sting a bit but that the hurt would pass quickly for the girl but as she looks down at Clarke, the blonde pleading her with her eyes to stay, it sinks in that nothing could hurt Clarke more than if she were to leave.

Her feet move of their own accord and she falls to her knees in front of Clarke. She slowly moves her arms to wrap around the blonde, giving the girl time to push her away if she wanted to. Lexa wouldn't blame her if she did.

She sighs in relief when Clarke allows the gesture and her body sinks into the brunette instantly.

"I'm sorry" she whispers into blonde hair, "I'm such an idiot. I'm so sorry" she apologizes again, "I'm an idiot. I don't deserve you. I'm so sorry"

Clarke sniffles and keeps her head pressed against Lexa's shoulder as her reply comes in a whisper, "you're not an idiot" she says, her voice thick with emotions, "but if you ever do this to me again-"

"I won't" Lexa promises, realizing how lucky she is to be offered a second chance.

"I need you" Clarke's voice breaks and she starts slamming her fist down on Lexa's chest, "why would you fucking leave me?" she sobs out, "do you have any idea of how much you mean to me?" she asks rhetorically.

Lexa takes the hits. She doesn't even wince or groan. She simply lets Clarke take her anger out on her. She deems that she deserves it anyway.

"I...you have no idea how much I love you" Clarke says and stops the motion of her fist to look into green eyes which are now wide open.

Lexa blinks once, twice.

"You...you love me?" her voice is barely above a whisper, Clarke's words registering in her mind.

Clarke nods, "I love you" she confirms, "so please, don't leave me" she begs, "you don't even have to say it back. I know how hard it is for you to express your feelings but please, stay"

Lexa's breathing becomes ragged and she feels a panic attack creep up on her. If Clarke loves her, then...then she has really fucked this up, more than she thought she had.

"I...can't breathe..." is the only thing she manages to say.

Clarke's eyes widen, _"shit_...okay, just..listen to my voice, okay?" she whispers, "fuck, I don't know how to do this. My mother is a damn surgeon and I don't know how to calm someone from a panic attack.." she mutters, frustrated at herself.

Lexa laughs a bit but it is cut off when breathing gets harder and air comes more rarely.

"Please let the internet be right about this" Clarke says before grabbing Lexa's hands in hers, "you're okay, baby" she whispers, "just listen to my voice. Don't think of anything else" she instructs.

Lexa nods and tries to do so. She locks her eyes firmly on Clarke's and listens intently to the sound of her voice.

"You're okay, you're safe" Clarke repeats, "breathe in" she takes a deep, slow intake of air, "and breathe out" she releases the air from her lungs slowly, "breathe with me" she whispers.

Lexa tries to mimick Clarke and can feel her breathing start to get steadier though it is still a bit erratic.

"You're doing great, baby" she reuses the term of endearment, hoping it'll help make the brunette feel more at ease, "I'm going to count down from ten to zero. I want you to join me when you feel ready, okay?" Lexa nods and tries to do as said.

She joins Clarke after the blonde has already counted down to zero at least twice.

" _Ten_...that's it, baby" Clarke tells her, " _nine_..... _eight_.... _seven_... _.six_.... _five_..... _four_..... _three_..... _two_.... _one_..... _zero"_

They do it once more and Lexa's breathing considerably slows down, to Clarke's huge relief. The blonde wraps her arms tightly around Lexa.

"You scared me" she whispers in her ear, holding her tightly against herself.

"I'm sorry" Lexa murmurs, "I...I'm a horrible person" she mutters.

Clarke pulls away with a frown, "for what? Having a panic attack?"

Lexa shakes her head and starts crying, "I almost left you" she croaks out, "I was going to leave you but you...you're still helping me and I just feel like such a shitty person right now" her shoulders slump.

"You're not" Clarke shakes her head, "you're just a really insecure person who needs to overcome her self-hatred" the blonde says, "it doesn't matter that you were about to leave. Do you know why?" Lexa shakes her head, "because you didn't. You didn't leave and that's all that matters to me"

"I don't deserve you" Lexa shakes with sobs, "you're so good to me and I just-"

"I love you" Clarke interrupts her.

Lexa opens her mouth but no sound comes out. She hates that she can't say it back. She hates that despite the fact that she now knows she loves Clarke, her insecurities and her fear of showing herself vulnerable remain too strong.

"I want to say it back. I really want to" she murmurs, looking down at her hands.

"But you're scared" Clarke finishes. At Lexa's nod, she continues speaking, "it's okay" she reassures the brunette, "I'll wait until you're ready" she smiles kindly.

Lexa cannot believe how selfless Clarke is. She cries harder at the realization that she is finally loved by someone. Clarke's arms are back around her, the blonde's soothing voice calming her down like no one has ever managed to.

"I forgive you this time" the blonde breathes the words out, in the brunette's ear and Lexa hasn't ever felt so relieved in her entire life, "but if you pull that shit again, I won't be as understanding as I am now"

Lexa nods, "I'm scared of what your mother will do to you" she voices the root of her fear.

Clarke pulls away slightly, "you worry about you and I'll worry about my mother, okay?" she gently speaks.

Lexa nods and her head is being tilted up when Clarke places two fingers under the brunette's chin to connect their lips in a kiss filled with apologies and promises to do better next time. They lean their foreheads against one another, content to just bask in the quiet of the room while relishing in the closeness of their bodies.

"Let's sit on the bed because my butt is killing me right now" Clarke says after a few minutes and it serves to alleviate the tension as Lexa laughs and stands up, offering her hand to the blonde.

They lay on the bed, Clarke sprawled out on Lexa as the brunette passes her fingers through blonde strands. She doesn't know when but Lexa falls asleep like this, the events of the day wearing out on her.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

"Let me handle this, Clarke"

Lexa hears faint voices as she wakes from her slumber and blinks her eyes open, catching a glimpse of Jake and Clarke, standing in front of the bed.

She groans when she moves a particularly sore muscle and Clarke's head snaps to the side, "you're awake" she says with a smile.

Lexa rubs her eyes and nods before stretching her arms. She takes in Clarke's fond smile and returns it to the best of her ability in her half-asleep state.

"What's happening?" she hoarses out.

Jake excuses himself out of the room, not before ruffling the brunette's hair like he has taken the habit to do almost everytime he sees her. Lexa groans in protest _-like she always does-_ but doesn't bother rearranging her hair, too tired to do so. Clarke chuckles and moves some curls away from the brunette's face as she sits on the bed.

"You look like the personification of death" she jokes as she takes in Lexa's smeared mascara, the bags under her eyes and her disheveled hair.

"Gee, thanks" Lexa says, smiling nonetheless, "what a beautiful compliment"

Clarke laughs and brushes her fingers along the brunette's jaw. She doesn't know what she would have done if Lexa had made the decision to leave. She clears her mind of that idea because the brunette is here with her. She didn't leave.

"My dad is going to talk with my mom to try and make her see reason" she explains as her fingers trace the sharp angles and soft lines of the brunette's face.

"Do you think she can change her mind?" Lexa asks, guarding hope that things might turn out to be okay.

"Honestly? I don't think so but it doesn't hurt to try"

Lexa's brows scrunch up together as she thinks over the possible scenarios in her mind, "then...what will happen?"

"I don't know but my dad is going to talk to her and we'll figure something out from there" Clarke shrugs.

"How can you be so calm about this?"

"I'm used to it" Clarke brushes it off, "it's fine, really" she says, "now, can we talk about something else?"

Lexa nods, "like what?"

"Disneyland. You, me and my father. This weekend"

Lexa's eyes widen with glee. She had almost forgotten about their trip to Disneyland with the recent events.

"We're still going?" she asks, trying to conceal her excitement.

"Of course we're still going! It's your birthday, we have to celebrate it properly"

Clarke senses that something is off with the brunette despite the smile on her face.

"What's wrong?" she asks.

"I...nothing...I'm happy" Clarke raises an eyebrow and Lexa sighs, "I just...you just forgave me so easily and I'm scared that...that you'll change your mind..." she goes with honesty because what is it that they say about it? Honesty is the best policy? Seems about right.

Understanding falls onto the blonde and she pushes herself off Lexa so she's now hovering over the girl, holding the weight of her body, hands pressed into the mattress.

"I won't change my mind" she whispers before claiming Lexa's lips, earning a pleased hum from the girl.

Lexa's tongue tentatively darts out to brush over the blonde's lower lip. She follows Clarke's lead as the blonde deepens the kiss, lips moving swiftly together like some sort of repeated choreography.

Clarke lowers her body onto Lexa's, their legs tangled and their fronts connected. Lexa cannot help the moan that surges up her throat at the feeling of Clarke's ample chest against her own.

The blonde moves her head lower to leave kisses down Lexa's neck which is quickly becoming one of her favorite body parts of the brunette, after the girl's eyes _(and her abs)._ Lexa's hand tangles in blond hair and Clarke smirks against her skin, happy to know that she has some sort of effect on Lexa.

"Clarke...stop.." Lexa breathes out and Clarke immediately pulls away, scared that she has done something wrong.

"Did I hurt you?" she frowns.

Lexa shakes her head, "I just really wanted to kiss you" she explains.

Clarke's whole body melts at the words and she smiles down at the brunette, "I love you" she whispers before dipping her head and kissing the girl.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

Things aren't exactly as peaceful downstairs. Jake and Abby are currently arguing back and forth about the recent events.

"What is so wrong about our daughter being bisexual?!" Jake tries his best to remain calm but his wife isn't making it easy.

"You can't possibly agree with this...this is a _sin!"_ she shouts, "God has created-"

"For fuck's sake, do not even dare to quote the Bible to me" he tells her angrily, "this is our daughter we're talking about!"

Abby falters for a moment before the scowl is back on her face, _"exactly!_ We can't let her fall into those nasty ways. As her father, you should know that, Jacob"

Jake's face turns sour and he points his index finger at Abby, "as her father" he repeats slowly, "I learned to accept my daughter the way she is instead of trying to force her to be someone she's not"

"That's not-"

"I'm not finished" he cuts her off, "you obviously are entitled to your close-minded opinion but I'll give you one more chance because I have hope that you can see reason. I give you one week. This weekend, I'm taking the girls to Disneyland. If by the time I come back, you haven't changed your mind about this, you can expect the divorce papers on your desk in the weeks to come" he says before going back upstairs, leaving Abby to think about his words.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

"Are you ready?" Clarke asks as she grabs the brunette's suitcase, lifts it up and pushes it into the trunk of the car. Lexa nods eagerly, grinning from ear to ear as she bounces excitedly on the heels of her shoes.

Today was the day they left for Disneyland. Earlier this morning, Clarke surprised Lexa with the news that they wouldn't simply spend a day there but rather a whole weekend. Needless to say Lexa was overjoyed upon hearing this. She might have kissed the blonde's face about a dozen times in her euphoria, squealing out _'thank you'_ in between each kiss.

Clarke stocks her own suitcase inside the car, next to her father's, then closes the trunk with a soft click. She turns to look at Lexa, hands plunged into the back pockets of her jeans.

"I know this has been a stressful few days but we're going to spend the weekend away from everything and I want you to enjoy it" the blond tells her.

Lexa nods, "can I hug you?" she all but whispers, still hesitant to initiate physical contact unnanouncedly after almost walking out on the blonde. Her guilty conscience is still eating up at her everyday despite the girl's reassurances that she is forgiven.

Clarke smiles fondly, "come here" she whispers, beckoning Lexa closer so she can engulf the brunette in a warm embrace.

Lexa's body melts in relief and she tentatively brings her arms around the blonde's waist. One hand moves to rest on the upper part of Clarke's back, while the other remains lower. She can feel Abby's cold and disdainful gaze on them but it doesn't deter her , she refuses to deprive herself of the chance to hold Clarke simply because the blonde's mother isn't tolerant enough to accept it. The only thing that could ever convince Lexa to let go of the blonde would be if Clarke herself asked her to.

They linger for a little while and Lexa would have been content to stay like this forever if Clarke hadn't pulled away. Their eyes connect the moment she does so and as Lexa loses herself in a sea of blue, she is taken by a sudden desire to press her lips against Clarke's. Eventually her insecurities win out and instead, she simply links their hands as her feet carry her to the side of the car to open the car door for Clarke.

"What a perfect gentlewoman" Clarke says, pecking her lips before she climbs inside, causing the brunette to blush. She can feel Abby's eyes piercing a hole in her head but she got her kiss and that's all that matters to her now.

Lexa gets into the backseat as well, sitting next to her girlfriend, both of them not wanting to be separated.

"No one wants to sit with me?" Jake feigns offense as he takes his seat behind the wheel. Clarke raises an eyebrow and the man laughs, "alright, I get it but please do not kiss while I'm driving"

 _"Dad!"_ Clarke hides her face in her hands while Lexa turns beet red, "we're not..going to do that.." she says, almost unconvincingly, almost as if even she doesn't trust herself to keep her hands to herself in the presence of the brunette.

Jake hears the hesitation in her voice and looks at her through the rearview, raising a disbelieving eyebrow at her, "even you don't believe your words" he jabs.

"Yeah well...." Clarke stops, realizing she doesn't know how to reply to that. Her back drops back against the leather seat and she huffs, arms crossed in front of her chest.

Lexa's lips form a smile at the sight of a grumpy Clarke. She's come to love this side of her girlfriend. She usually gets to see it in the morning, before school, when they have to wake up really early to go, quoting Clarke's words, _'listen to old fucks wh_ o _mostly don't know shit about what they're teaching'_

Clarke had excluded Ms. Forrest when she had given that less than laudatory description of her teachers, admitting that the woman was pretty amazing, as teacher goes.

Jake starts the car and Lexa surprises herself at how relieved she is to leave this house and the overbearing presence of Clarke's mother. She doesn't know how she can ever repay the Griffins -minus Abby- for everything they've done for her so far.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

They have been driving for a little over an hour and a half and Lexa starts to feel tired. Clarke notices and she raises an arm to put it over Lexa's shoulders. Knowing they still have a little over two hours to go before arriving to Disneyland, Lexa gives into her fatigue and drops her head on the blonde's shoulder, closing her eyes and sighing contentedly. Clarke's other arm moves so she can run her fingers through brown curls, the motion lulling Lexa to sleep and before she knows it, she has left the land of consciousness and drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Jake's eyes land on the pair through the rearview and he smiles at the sight of the two girls, cuddled up to each other. He can tell with certainty that he has never seen his daughter look at anyone the way she looks at Lexa and he's glad his daughter's feelings are reciprocated by the brunette. When he first met the brunette, he had no idea she would have such a strong impact on their lives and although the girl keeps thanking them for taking her in, he more and more feels like they were the lucky ones in the story. Lexa has quite honestly shaken their lives up in the best way possible.

"I'm glad you found Lexa" he voices his thoughts.

Clarke's eyes rise to meet his through the glass of the rearview and her lips stretch into a blinding smile, "me too" she says, "me too" she repeats in a whisper as her gaze falls to the sleeping girl.

"I know I joke around a lot but I really am glad you two are together. She's good for you" he tells her.

"I love her, dad" Clarke reveals.

"I know" he smiles, "and she loves you too, I can tell"

Clarke nods, not really sure of the depth of Lexa's feelings. The brunette hasn't said the words back and Clarke figures it probably has something to do with the girl's insecurities but then again, there is this tiny bit of doubt that surges inside her mind, telling her that maybe those words were not returned because Lexa doesn't feel the same way. She shuts down that line of thought, telling herself that whatever the reason for it, she'll wait for Lexa to be ready.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

"Baby, wake up" Clarke calls softly, gently shaking the brunette's body.

Lexa groans and mumbles incoherently. It draws a chuckle from Clarke who starts showering the brunette's face with quick kisses.

Lexa giggles and gladly accepts the kiss pressed to her lips, humming into it, "hi" she whispers against Clarke's lips.

"Hey" Clarke smiles back, "we're here" she announces and the brunette's head snaps to the side to look through the car window, confirming that indeed, they have reached their destination.

She lets out an excited gasp and her lips form a wide grin as she hurries out of the car to take in their surroundings. She can see the castle at the entry from afar and Clarke literally has to wrap both arms around her middle to keep her from bolting towards the entry.

"Easy" she laughs as she hugs the girl from behind, "we have the whole weekend"

Lexa calms down a little but her exhilaration doesn't lessen and she is bouncing impatiently on the heels of her shoes as Jake takes their bagages out of the trunk. Clarke laughs at her obvious eagerness to get a move on and she moves her hair to press a kiss to the nape of the brunette's neck.

"Here you go, girls" Jake hands them both their backpacks and that is Lexa's cue to start walking, hand linked with Clarke's as she pulls the girl forward with her.

The man laughs and shakes his head as he closes the trunk and locks the car before catching up with the quickly advancing girls. He retrieves their previously bought entry tickets from his pocket, then hands one to each girl.

Lexa takes it quickly and turns towards the castle now standing in front of them. Her mouth is open in awe and her wide eyes rake the entirety of the structure. Clarke can see stars dancing in the girl's eyes and immediately knows taking her here for her birthday was the right idea. Speaking of, she is also eager to be tomorrow for the simple reason that tomorrow is Lexa's birthday and she is really excited to spend the day with the brunette and attempt to make it the best birthday possible for the girl.

"Alright, girls" Jake says as he pulls out a camera, "let's take a few pictures"

Clarke groans but is secretely happy she'll have a material memory of this moment. She snakes an arm around Lexa's waist and they position themselves on the bridge, in front of the huge castle. For the second picture, Clarke suprises Lexa and grabs her waist to turn her towards herself before cupping the girl's cheeks and kissing her soundly. Jake captures the moment perfectly and smiles down at the picture.

Clarke feels her phone buzz in her pocket and she pulls it out to see she has a new message.

 

**_Rae - 10.34 AM_ **

_U fucker! I can't believe u went to Disneyland without me!!_

 

**_Clarkey - 10.35 AM_ **

_How do u even know where we are?_

 

**_Rae - 10.36 AM_ **

_I'm psychic_

 

Clarke meekly raises an eyebrow as she reads the answer. Two seconds later, another message comes in.

 

**_Rae - 10.36 AM_ **

_Also I put a tracker in ur phone_

 

**_Clarkey - 10.36 AM_ **

_Wtf Raven_

 

**_Rae - 10.37 AM_ **

_U will thank me if u ever get kidnapped_

 

**_Clarkey - 10.37 AM_ **

_....._

 

**_Rae - 10.38 AM_ **

_No one knows how to appreciate my skills properly *sigh* anyways, enjoy ur weekend with ur girl ;) don't forget to wear a condom_

 

Clarke rolls her eyes at this and when she looks up, she sees Lexa quickly look away, ears red as tomatoes, clearly having read that last message.

 

**_Clarkey - 10.38 AM_ **

_Hilarious, Rae_

 

**_Rae - 10.39 AM_ **

_I know. I'm amazing. Next time I'm coming with u btw, even if I have to slip into ur suitcase_

 

**_Clarkey - 10.39 AM_ **

_Alright, Rae. Have a nice day_

 

**_Rae - 10.40 AM_ **

_You too, Clarkey ;)_

 

Clarke pockets her phone and looks at Lexa, "ready?" she raises an eyebrow.

Lexa nods quickly, her smile growing by the second and they finally enter the park. Lexa stops dead in her tracks as she looks around, eyes shining with happiness.

"I'm at Disneyland" she whispers.

Clarke laughs, "yes, yes you are" she confirms, squeezing the girl's hand. She unfolds the map and holds it for Lexa to see, "where do you want to go first?"

"I...I don't know...everywhere" Lexa says, still having difficulties realizing what's happening.

"Good thing we have a lot of time on our hands then" Clarke laughs, tugging on Lexa's hand to lead her further into the amusement park, relishing in the awe-filled expression on the brunette's face.

Jake walks slightly behind them, smiling fondly and occasionally snapping pictures of the girls without them noticing. Yeah, this is definitely going to be an amazing weekend.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think most of you have noticed by now that dragging out the angst and falling into overdone tropes isn't really my thing which is why I decided not to prolong the drama with the Abby situation. I don't know if you guys would have preferred it to be more angsty but that's what I went with and I can only hope you liked it :)


	12. A magical day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. Life has been pretty crazy recently. I also apologize in advance for the possible inaccuracies in regards to Disneyland, I've never gone there and every bit of information comes from what I've found on the internet. Without further ado, here is chapter 12 :)

 

 

Clarke smiles as she witnesses the brunette's sheer excitement. The girl's eyes are shining with happiness which brightens her whole face. It feels nice to see the girl so carefree, especially in light of the recent events.

"Hurry up, Clarke!" Lexa shouts behind her, grinning from ear to ear.

"I'm coming" Clarke huffs, running to try and catch up with the quickly retreating girl, a smile present on her face nonetheless.

"She's pretty impatient that one" Jake says in a chuckle as he tries to keep up with their hectic rhythm.

Clarke freezes when she sees where the brunette has stopped. **_Oh no,_** she thinks to herself, glancing up at the ride, a cold shiver running down her spine when she takes in how high it is.

 _"California screamin' "_ Lexa reads the name out loud, not having noticed yet how all color has been drained from Clarke's face, leaving her paler than ever, "it looks cool" she says enthusiastically, "wanna go?" she turns to address the blonde.

Clarke gulps, looking once more at the ride, then begrudgingly nods. She doesn't want Lexa to miss out on things because of her. Besides, how scary can it really be? Maybe it isn't as bad as she thinks it to be. The brunette's lips stretch to an excited grin and Clarke sends her a forced smile paired with a nervous chuckle.

"Are you alright?" Lexa frowns.

Clarke nods and hums positively, "I'm good" she lies, "let's go" she tugs at the brunette's hand, wanting to get it over with.

Jake stands behind, an eyebrow raised because he knows about his daughter's fear of heights and can see right through the fake smile she has just put on. And although he should prevent her from going on that ride, he knows his daughter is doing this for Lexa and she's old enough to make her own decisions. Doesn't mean he isn't a bit worried when he sees how nervous she looks.

"You're not coming with us?" Lexa turns to speak to Jake.

"Not this time, kiddo. Those things aren't exactly my thing. I'm afraid my heart wouldn't handle it"

"Alright, grandpa" Lexa jokes, trapping her tongue between her teeth as she grins teasingly before running off to get in the queue for the ride.

"Yeah, that's right! Run away before I get to you!" Jake yells, smiling brightly.

Lexa turns around and sticks her tongue out at him, drawing a laugh from Clarke who was nervously standing next to her, playing anxiously with the sleeves of her sweatshirt.

Lexa notices and she slowly grabs her hand, "are you sure you're okay? You look pale" she murmurs.

Clarke hums non-comittedly, looking at the ride with wide, scared eyes, "yeah, I'm fine" she rushes out.

Lexa's brows furrow, "you don't look like it...we can go back if you don't want to go on this ride" she offers.

"No!" Clarke loudly says, "no, it's okay" she assures though her face says otherwise, "I'll do it...it can't be that horrible, can it?"

Lexa is unconvinced but she lets it go though she doesn't let go of the blonde's hand and threads their fingers together, giving it a squeeze.

The queue is moving slowly and Lexa soon finds herself bored. She looks beside her and sees that Clarke looks even more terrified than before. They take a step as some people in front of them move forward, clearing some space.

The brunette steps in front of the blonde and leans down to kiss her. The blonde accepts the kiss without questioning it and snakes her hands behind Lexa's neck.

They pull back and smile at each other until a throat is cleared. They jump apart and snap their heads to the side to see another teenage girl standing awkwardly behind them.

"Sorry to disturb you but um....the queue has moved and...well..." she says, motioning to the empty space in front of the two girls.

"Oh, right! Of course" Clarke exclaims, stepping forward, "sorry" she apologizes.

"No worries" the girl smiles, "you guys are very cute together by the way" she adds.

Lexa blushes, "thank you" she mumbles shyly, glancing down.

"Does she always blush like that?" The girl points at Lexa's face, smirking.

"All the time" Clarke says which earns her a slap on the shoulder from Lexa, _"ow!_ What? It's true!" the blonde defends.

"Not _all the time"_ Lexa argues, mumbling.

"Baby?" Clarke calls.

"What?" Lexa grumpily says.

"You're beautiful" the blonde says, her eyes soft and loving. A slight tint of pink emerges on Lexa's cheeks and Clarke smiles, _"see?_ Always blushing"

The teenage girl behind them lets out a laugh, "that's cute" she comments, adding to Lexa's embarrassment.

"What's your name?" Clarke asks curiously.

"Tris" the girl answers, "I'm here with my little brother, Aden, but he was refused entry because he's too small" she says with a smirk.

Clarke laughs, "poor boy" she says, "or not" she then adds quietly, remembering that she isn't all that excited to get on that ride.

The queue moves more quickly from then on and another ten minutes later, they are approaching the end of their wait. In this lapse of time, they have learned that Tris is a sophomore at Trikru High which is a school surprisingly close to the one they attend. They also learn she is the captain of their female soccer team which will be competing in a school tournament at the end of the year. Clarke assumes this is the same tournament their school's team, and therefore Octavia, will take part in. Maybe they'll see each other at one of the games.

There are only three people left before them and Clarke knows that she'll have to get on the next one. That knowledge causes her nerves to increase and her eyes shift anxiously between Lexa and the rails she will be on in a matter of minutes.

"We can still go back if you want" Lexa whispers in her ear.

"After waiting that long? Pfff no" Clarke tries to play tough though it falls flat and Lexa can see right through her act.

Tris fixes her gaze on Clarke as she speaks, "it's pretty impressive but it's not as scary as it looks" she tries to reassure the blonde, she too sensing the blonde's nervousness. Clarke nods but doesn't stop fumbling with the hem of her sweatshirt.

Finally, they are called to step forward and into their seats. The blonde takes a deep breath and sits beside Lexa while Tris gets behind them. They let the employees secure them and wait for the start. Lexa holds her palm up and Clarke links their fingers, holding tight onto the offered hand. Lexa deems it worth it to have her hand being crushed if it means Clarke will feel more comfortable.

The ride starts and already Clarke tightens her hold on the brunette's hand, "here we go" she whispers, letting out a shaky breath.

"It'll be okay" Lexa promises, "I'm right here" she brings their joined hands up to kiss the back of Clarke's hand.

The ride pulls to a stop and before Clarke can even begin to wonder what's happening, the speed increases suddenly and they are propulsed forward at full speed. Clarke lets out a yelp of surprise and Lexa gives her hand a small squeeze.

The first fall has Clarke screaming to the top of her lungs, the loud wind slightly covering the noise. The ride takes them in every direction possible, they go up, down, to the left, then to the right.

They climb up a steep slope and Lexa hears Clarke whisper _'oh no'_ beside her.

"You're doing great" she murmurs, "I'm proud of you"

Clarke smiles then looks nervously ahead, waiting anxiously for the inevitable fall. As the ride goes down, everyone raises their hands in the air, even Clarke who lifts her right hand, the one which isn't linked to Lexa's. Lexa looks to her right, expecting the blonde to be terrified but to her immense surprise, the girl is smiling widely, very clearly enjoying herself.

They pass through a looping and Lexa laughs at the small screams Clarke is letting out. The girl looks less and less scared by the second and Lexa is glad.

"Don't laugh at me!" Clarke shouts over the noise.

"I'm not laughing at you!" Lexa shouts back, "I'm just happy you're enjoying this!"

Warmth erupts within Clarke's chest but she barely has time to dwell on it because there is another drop that demands her to scream once more.

Eventually, it pulls to a stop. They get out of their seats and Clarke breathes a content sigh then erupts in laughter when she takes in Lexa's appearance. The girl's hair is completely disheveled, brown curls flying everywhere. She walks closer and brings her hands to the brunette's hair, rearranging it for her. She gently brushes a strand of hair behind her ear then leans forward to leave a soft kiss on plump lips.

"What was that for?" Lexa asks.

"Do I need a reason?" Clarke says.

Lexa shakes her head, smiling brightly, "no" she answers, "I'm really proud of you, you know" she whispers.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah" Lexa nods then leaves a quick kiss on her lips just because she can.

"Alright, lovebirds!" Tris' voice shouts behind them, "get a move on, we have plenty of rides to try" she shoves them forward.

Clarke laughs and lets herself be pushed towards the exit where her father is waiting for them, talking to a young boy and to a middle-aged woman who she assumes is the boy's mother.

"Is that Aden?" Lexa asks.

"The one and only" Tris answers, walking towards him, "he can be a pain in the ass but he's pretty cool, I guess"

"Clarke" Lexa says, coming to a stop.

Clarke hums.

"He's so cute" Lexa gushes.

Clarke laughs and pushes her forward, "then let's go introduce ourselves"

They walk the remaining steps and join the others.

"Hey" Clarke says.

Aden looks up, a puzzled look on his face at the sight of strange faces.

The blonde crouches down to be at eye-level with the boy who seems to be around five years old, "hey buddy, I'm Clarke" she tells him, "you see this beautiful girl over there?" she points at Lexa. He nods, "this is my girlfriend, Lexa. I love her very much but shhh, don't tell her that" she says loud enough for everyone to hear.

Aden giggles and puts a finger on his mouth in a hushing motion, "shhhh" he imitates the sound Clarke has just made, drawing a laugh from the blonde.

Lexa watches on from a few feet away, smiling fondly at the pair. She is amazed at how good Clarke is with children. It seems almost natural for the blonde. She snaps out of her thoughts when Clarke calls her over. She hesitantly walks forward and crouches down as well.

"Hey, Aden" she waves discreetly.

"Lessa" Aden says, effectively melting the brunette's heart. The name is badly pronounced but it makes it sound even more endearing. He moves closer to her to whisper in her ear, _"you are very beautiful"_ he quietly says as if he was letting her in on some kind of secret.

"Thank you" Lexa smiles, "you are very handsome too" she ruffles his hair.

He giggles and looks behind him at his mom, "Lessa said I'm handsome" he repeats the words proudly.

"You are, baby boy" his mother tells him before sending a smile in Lexa's direction, mouthing _'thank you'_

"Can we go?" Tris asks, eager to go try other attractions.

"Why always so impatient?" her mother sighs but the smile doesn't leave her face.

Aden insists on holding Clarke and Lexa's hands as they walk and his mother, Hannah, lets him do as such on the condition that he behaves well around the two girls. Jake walks forward to continue the conversation he was holding with Hannah before the girls came back from the ride. Clarke squints her eyes suspiciously as she watches the interaction. A smile appears on her lips when she takes notice of how happy her father looks in this moment.

Aden is jumping up and down as he walks between them, holding one of their hands in each of his, letting out squeals of joy as he looks around. He gasps when he spots Mickey Mouse in the distance and tugs on their arms, "can we go see Mickey? Pleaaaase"

Lexa's head snaps up and she looks around until she spots the disney character. She knows it isn't the real Mickey Mouse and that it is simply a person in a costume but that doesn't deter her.

"Clarke, it's Mickey" she whispers to the blonde, "can we take a picture with him?" she pleads with her eyes.

Clarke laughs and nods in agreement. Both Aden and Lexa smile widely as they move forward with one goal in mind, their steps faster than they were before. Clarke smiles at the joy on both Lexa's and Aden's faces as they speak with _"Mickey"_ , huge grins adorning both of their faces.

"Clarke, come here" Lexa calls her over, "we're going to take a picture"

Clarke gives her phone to her father and runs back to position herself next to Lexa, one arm wrapped around the brunette's waist while Aden stands beside Mickey. Tris hesitates for a second before joining them, standing next to her brother.

After taking the picture, Aden complains about being hungry and they start walking around in search of a place to eat. They eventually stop at a small restaurant that sells burgers.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

"Babe, you have sauce all over your face" Clarke laughs, "how did you even get sauce on your cheek?" she reaches out with a napkin to wipe at the brunette's face, "you're such a messy eater" she chuckles.

Lexa blushes, "did you wipe all of it?"

"I did" Clarke nods before leaning forward to press a quick kiss on the tip of Lexa's nose.

While his mother talks with Jake, Aden climbs on Lexa's lap and the brunette's eyes shift around, not sure of what to do. She hasn't really had many contacts with children before. She's not sure how to act around them. She tentatively brings her arms around the boy's middle, securing him on her lap.

Tris raises an eyebrow at this. It is unusual for Aden to trust a stranger so quickly. He is usually pretty wary of people he doesn't know but he seems to have taken an immediate liking to Lexa.

Clarke, as for her, explodes in laughter when she sees the sauce smeared on Aden's cheeks, "you are literally the same" she tells Lexa, pointing at the mess Aden has made while eating.

Lexa looks at Aden's face and smiles as she grabs a napkin to wipe the sauce off his face. He giggles a bit when the tissue tickles lightly his nose. Lexa thinks this is the second cutest laugh she has ever heard. The second cutest because Clarke's laugh will always be her favorite.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

"Oh no" Clarke says, "no way" she shakes her head quickly, staring up with apprehension at the attraction Lexa has just stopped in front of : _Space Mountain._

She had been allowed an hour of rest as they walked around aimlessly but now, Lexa wanted to try other rides.

Lexa deflates and pouts a bit but nods, accepting the blonde's decision. Clarke almost gives in and accepts to go but one glance at the building in front of her dissuades her to do so.

"I'm sorry" she whispers, feeling bad for being too scared to go with her girlfriend.

Lexa frowns and takes Clarke's hand to lead her a bit further from the group, feeling like this is maybe a conversation they should have in private.

"Don't you _ever_ feel bad for something like that" she tells the blonde, "you hear me?"

"But...I just really wanted you to have the full experience and you can't do that because I'm too much of a pussy to get on a stupid ride!" she huffs, frustrated with herself.

Lexa wraps her arms around her shoulders and holds her close, "you're not a... _pussy"_ she says, the word foreign on her tongue, "you are the most amazing girl I've ever met and it's okay to be scared sometimes. We all have our fears. Do you want to know what I'm afraid of?" Clarke nods against her shoulder, "besides the fact that I'm scared of the dark, of course, which is already pretty lame-"

Clarke mumbles something against her shirt that Lexa can't understand.

"What did you say?" she asks.

"It's not lame" Clarke says more intelligibly, "it's cute"

"As I was saying" Lexa diverts back to what she was saying before, feeling her cheeks heat up, "I'm also scared of thunder" she whispers, thinking that maybe if she discloses one of her fears, Clarke will feel less self-conscious about hers.

"You are?" Clarke brushes her nose against the skin of the brunette's neck.

Lexa hums, "fears are a natural thing to have. There is no shame in that"

Clarke tightens her arms around the brunette's waist, "thank you" she whispers, inhaling the brunette's scent, "are you wearing my perfume?" she asks, her lips forming a smile as she pulls away slightly.

Lexa's cheeks redden, "I uhh...well you always smell so good and uh..it-it smells like you so uh..." she stutters, "..are you mad?"

"Am I mad?" Clarke repeats, chuckling, "of course not" she reassures the nervous girl, "I think it's cute that you used my perfume"

Lexa smiles hesitantly, "can I kiss you?" she asks, not wanting it to be unwelcome. Clarke nods and it is Lexa's cue to lean forward and claim the blonde's lips.

They break apart after a few seconds, stopping to gaze into each other's eyes for a short moment before Clarke links their fingers and walks them back towards the group. She sees her father, his phone in hand and squints her eyes, "were you taking pictures?" she asks.

"No" Jake lies, grinning widely.

"You can't lie" Clarke deapans, "stop trying"

"Whatever" he says, waving his hand dismissively, "you'll thank me when you'll have pictures to show people on your wedding day" he winks.

"We're not there yet" Clarke mumbles with a blush.

"You might as well be with all the heart eyes you keep throwing at each other" Tris cuts in, earning a high five from Jake.

Clarke rolls her eyes, "you're such a child sometimes"

"You love me" Jake retorts and Clarke can't deny that.

"Meh" she jokingly says, shrugging.

Lexa smiles as she watches their bickering. She notices how Hannah's eyes are fixed on Jake, something akin to affection shining inside them. She wonders if something could happen between them, were Abby not part of the equation.

"Clarke?" she whispers, tugging on her sleeve to get her attention, "can we go on that one instead?" she points at _Splash Mountain_ on the map.

"I love this one!" Clarke exclaims, "but wait...are you sure you want to go on it?"

"Yes...why?" Lexa frowns.

"Most of it is in the dark and I know you're kinda scared of it" the blonde explains.

"Oh" Lexa simply says, "well, you went on _California Screamin'_ with me. It's only fair I face my fear this time" she reasons, already looking at the map to figure out where it is situated.

She startles when two arms wrap suddenly around her middle as Clarke hugs her tightly from behind. Her body slumps a bit as she relaxes into the embrace. The blonde presses a kiss to the nape of her neck before letting go.

"Let's go" she says, grabbing Lexa's hand.

"Clarke" the brunette's voice is laced with amusement. Clarke hums, still walking, "you're going the wrong way" Lexa chuckles.

Clarke stops and looks at the map, "oh, right" she turns around and smiles sheepishly at her girlfriend.

"Where are we heading, girls?" he asks.

 _"Splash Mountain"_ Clarke answers.

"Finally a ride I can go on" he says, "uh...I mean, finally a ride _Aden_ can go on" he tries. Hannah laughs lightly and he grins at her.

"Right, dad" Clarke quips, "of course"

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

This time, Lexa's the one who has a tight grip on Clarke's hand once they enter the dark part of the ride. Clarke is situated behind her and has her arms wrapped around the brunette's waist. Her girlfriend is quiet but Clarke can feel how tense she is.

"Relax, baby" she leans forward to whisper in her ear, "you're safe"

She feels Lexa's body relax slightly and she squeezes the hand in hers. They remain like this for the rest of the ride.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

"I'm all wet now" Lexa complains, looking down at her clothes.

Clarke tries to keep her mind from straying to other scenarios where those words could be uttered, "you're the one who insisted on sitting at the front, babe" she points out.

Jake laughs at the pout on Lexa's face. He was sitting in the middle, therefore managed to avoid most of the water but Lexa wasn't as lucky as to be spared.

"I have a change of clothes in my bag" he tells her, rummaging through it to retrieve a dry shirt which he took in Clarke's wardrobe.

"Thank you" she accepts the item of clothing with a small smile.

Clarke leads her to the nearest bathroom so she can change and waits outside the stall, "..Lexa?" she gets a hum in response, "I just...can we talk about something tonight?"

"Is something wrong?" Lexa asks from the other side of the door, stopping her movements.

"No, no" Clarke assures her, "it's nothing bad, I swear...it's just something I should have told you long before"

"You're scaring me a little" Lexa admits, finishing to change before opening the door.

Clarke is looking down at her feet, playing with a loose strand of her pants, "I just need to apologize for something but this isn't the best place to do so"

"Why would you apologize?" Lexa frowns.

"I...I'll tell you tonight, alright?"

"Okay..." Lexa agrees, now very curious to know what this is all about.

Clarke chances a smile and pecks the brunette's lips quickly before intertwining their fingers and heading back outside. Lexa wants to quench her curiosity and demand answers from Clarke about this supposed apology she owes her but she will respect the blonde's wishes and wait for tonight. For now, she decides to put those thoughts aside so she can fully enjoy the rest of the day.

She yelps when Aden comes barreling into her, forced to take a step back due to the force of the impact, "hey, buddy" she strokes his hair.

"Can we go to Cars Land?" he asks, looking up at her, hope glinting in his eyes.

Lexa looks at his mother in a silent question. When the woman nods, she crouches down to be at his eye-level, "you wanna go to Cars Land?" she asks, knowing full well the answer.

He nods eagerly, "yes!"

"Then let's go to Cars Land" she smiles kindly at him as she watches glee fill his face.

He holds out his arms, "up!" he says and she gets the message. She bends slightly and lifts him up, placing one arm behind his thighs and one around his back as she holds him against herself.

He giggles as each step she takes causes him to bounce. The sound fills the brunette's heart with warmth.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

After spending about one hour and a half in Cars Land, unable to resist Aden's numerous requests to go back on _Radiator Springs Racers_ , they notice that the sky is slowly darkening, meaning they only have time for one more ride.

"What do you want to do?" Clarke turns towards Lexa. It makes sense that she would be the one to choose considering this trip is for her.

Lexa hesitates for a bit then dares to voice her thoughts, "I really liked _California screamin'_ but if you don't want to go back on it we can do something else" she says, ever so considerate of Clarke's well-being.

"Nonsense" Clarke says, "we're going back on it" she states firmly, "besides, it was kinda fun" she smiles.

They separate in two groups. Jake, Hannah and Aden stay in the area with rides Aden can go on while Lexa, Clarke and Tris head towards the _Paradise Pier_ to go once again on the first ride they tried, both groups agreeing to meet back around the entrance of the park.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

It is almost completely dark when they make their way back to the hotel. Aden's family are staying on the floor above theirs.

Jake enters his room and gives the girls the key to theirs, "no funny business" he jokes as he does so.

"Very funny, dad" Clarke takes the key with a smile and unlocks the door, holding it open for Lexa. They drag their suitcases inside and close the door behind them.

They get changed in silence, putting on comfortable sleepwear, then brush their teeth alongside, playfully bumping their hips against each other.

Lexa brushes her hair, trying to tame her wild curls, then slips into bed with Clarke. The mood shifts and Lexa dares to ask the question that's been on the tip of her tongue since earlier today.

"What did you want to talk about?"

Clarke is about to answer when her phone rings. She huffs and turns around to grab it from the nightstand. She sees it is an incoming call from Raven.

"It's Rae" she tells Lexa, "should I answer? I have a feeling she won't stop calling if I don't answer"

Lexa nods and Clarke swipes her thumb on the screen, accepting the call, putting it on speaker.

 _"Almost thought you wouldn't pick up, Griffin. Did I interrupt your sexy times with Lexa?"_ Clarke can practically hear the girl's smirk through the phone.

"Shut up, Rae" she blushes and looks to her right to see that Lexa's eyes are wide and the brunette's cheeks are equally as red as hers, "we weren't doing anything"

 _"You're no fun"_ Raven says, _"anyways, how was your day? Did you survive without me?"_

"Ha. Ha. Ha" Clarke lets out, "our day was great, thanks for asking"

Lexa hears her phone buzz and opens the drawer to retrieve it.

_"I hear some movements. Is Lexi with you?"_

Lexa scowls at the nickname.

"Yeah, don't ever call her Lexi again" Clarke chuckles, noticing the expression on the brunette's face.

Lexa glances down at her phone.

**_  
_ **

**_Anya - 22.13 PM_ **

_Sorry to bother. You didn't come to training today. Is everything ok?_

 

Lexa is touched that the older girl cares enough to check up on her. She feels bad for forgetting to warn her of this trip.

**_  
_ **

**_Commander - 22.14 PM_ **

_Sorry, Anya. I forgot to tell you that the Griffins surprised me with a trip to Disneyland for my birthday. I won't be home until Sunday night._

 

**_Anya - 22.14 PM_ **

_No problem. Enjoy this weekend. And happy birthday_

 

Lexa smiles at this.

 

**_Commander - 22.15 PM_ **

_Thank you, Anya. Goodnight._

 

She locks her phone and sees that Clarke is looking at her. The blonde mouthes _'who was it?'_

"It was Anya" Lexa answers.

Clarke nods, "Raven wants to talk to you" she says, rolling her eyes.

Lexa accepts the phone and slowly brings it to her ear, "yes?"

"Lexi!!" Raven shouts.

Lexa winces at the volume and moves the phone away from her ear, "don't call me that" she tells the latina girl.

 _"What should I call you then? Oh, I know!"_ Raven exclaims and Lexa braces herself for the worst, _"Sexy Lexi"_ you could hear the grin in her voice.

"That is even worse" Lexa sighs, "did you call just to make fun of me or did you actually want something?"

 _"Both"_ Raven answers, _"could you put me on speaker?"_

"You already are on speaker" Clarke interjects, rolling her eyes.

 _"Big mistake, Clarkey"_ Raven clicks her tongue, _"never put the Great Raven Reyes on speaker. You could regret it"_

"I'm starting to" Clarke says, causing Lexa to laugh.

 _"Tell me everything about your day"_ Raven demands.

So they do. They recount the many rides they have been on, their meeting with Aden and his family, the delicious burgers they ate _-admittedly, they only mentioned it to make Raven jealous-_ and the pictures they took with various Disney characters.

 _"I am so jealous right now but also really happy for you"_ Raven says.

"Thanks, Rae" Clarke smiles, "it's getting late though and we should probably hang up" she adds.

 _"Of course"_ Raven agrees, _"have a goodnight. The both of you"_ she says before hanging up.

Clarke drops her phone back in the drawer and lowers her head to her pillow, rolling to her side so she can face Lexa. The brunette mimicks her position. They share an unspoken agreement to resume their previous conversation. Clarke takes one of Lexa's hands in hers and plays with the girl's fingers.

"I need to apologize to you" she says. She can see Lexa is about to say something but she stops her, "wait. Let me finish, please"

Lexa nods and waits.

"When my mom found out about us..." she starts.

Lexa scowls, not wanting to be reminded of this, "I acted like an idiot" she whispers, ashamed.

Clarke moves a hand to trace the girl's jawline, "you did what you thought was best for me" she murmurs, "I understand that now" she adds.

"It was still stupid" Lexa mumbles.

"No" Clarke shakes her head, "what was stupid, was my reaction" she says. Lexa wants to object but keeps silent when she sees Clarke still has something to say, "I told you not to come back if you crossed the door and yes, I was hurt and angry and...and desperate" she looks away, "but I had no right to give you this ultimatum" she raises her gaze to look into emerald eyes.

"It's okay" Lexa brushes it off.

"No, it's not" Clarke argues, "you don't have anyone and I was selfish enough to use this against you to get you to stay. I realize now how wrong I was to do this"

"You didn't know" Lexa whispers.

"But I did...I did know" she sighs, "all your life, you've been disappointed by people and I...I don't want to be part of those people who end up hurting you. I can't bear the idea of being the reason behind your pain"

Tears brim at the corner of Lexa's eyes and she sniffles, "it's okay" she repeats.

"No" Clarke sighs, "listen to me" she puts a hand on her cheek and brushes her thumb over the brunette's skin, "I'm sorry for hurting you" she says, "because I know I did. And I'm so, so sorry. I wish I could take it back but I can't"

Lexa doesn't try to stop her tears anymore. Having this conversation reopened a wound she thought was closed.

"I thought you were giving up on me" she confesses, finally letting her bottled up feelings out.

"Never" Clarke shakes her head, "I would never give up on you" she scoots closer, closing her arms around the brunette's fragile frame, "I love you"

"I...I.." Lexa huffs when she isn't able to say it back. Frustration grows inside her.

"I know" Clarke simply whispers, "I know" she places her forehead against Lexa's.

Lexa sighs, "I want to say it"

"I know"

"But I'm unable to" she adds.

"I know"

"I'm sorry"

"Don't be"

Lexa pushes her frustration aside and focuses on soft blue eyes, "I really want to kiss you" she dares to whisper.

"Do it" Clarke encourages her and soon, plump lips are moving against hers, conveying everything the brunette can't say with words. This kiss is different than any they have shared before. It is softer, more passionate. They kiss as though it is their last chance to do so but also as though they have all the time in the world.

Clarke's hand slips under Lexa's shirt, the brunette's muscles flexing under her touch, "is this okay?" she asks.

Lexa nods and Clarke settles on top of her, straddling the brunette whose hands move to the blonde's hips, fingers digging into her curves. Something shifts in the air as Clarke lowers herself to connect their lips again. Her teeth sink into her girlfriend's bottom lip before she soothes the pain with her tongue. Her hands rake over Lexa's abs, moaning when Lexa's own hands slip under her shirt to caress the smooth skin of her back. The sounds Clarke is letting out spur Lexa on and she finds herself tugging at the hem of Clarke's shirt, silently asking if she can take it off.

Clarke detaches her lips from where they were trailing down Lexa's jaw and she sits up, still straddling her girlfriend. Her hands are resting on Lexa's stomach. The brunette's breathing is uneven, eyes darker than they were before.

"Are you sure?" Clarke needs to ask.

"Yes" Lexa breathlessly answers, pulling Clarke's shirt over the girl's head. Her eyes fall to the girl's round breasts and her jaw drops slightly.

"You can touch them, you know" Clarke smirks when Lexa has been frozen for a whole minute, staring in awe at her chest.

Lexa's eyes connect with Clarke's before falling back to her chest. Her hands slide up the blonde's body, from her hips to the underside of her boobs. Finally she takes the leap and cups them in her hands, both girl's moaning at the contact. Lexa brushes her thumbs over the blonde's nipples, watching in awe as they harden under her touch.

Clarke's eyes are hooded with lust and she feels wetness gather in her underwear. Lexa sits up and looks at Clarke once for confirmation that she's okay with this before enclosing her mouth around a nipple, drawing a loud moan from her girlfriend as the girl's hand tangles in her hair. She lets her tongue flick over the blonde's nipple for a little while before moving her head to give the other breast the same attention.

Clarke's hips start rolling in a grinding motion in search of friction against her aching center, "Lexa.." she breathes out, "please"

Lexa looks back up, "what do you need?" she asks, not really knowing how to do this.

"I need you" Clarke whispers, dipping her head to kiss the brunette with fervor.

Her hands find the hem of Lexa's shirt and she tugs on it. Lexa gets the message and raises her arms to allow the blonde to pull the offending fabric over her head. They are now both equally underssed and Lexa feels nervous under Clarke's stare.

"You're so beautiful" Clarke whispers before pushing Lexa down on the bed and attaching her lips to the girl's neck. Their chests brush together and they both hum at the feeling.

Clarke ignores the pulsing between her legs and she kisses down Lexa's body. She leaves a trail of kisses between the girl's breasts before taking a nipple in her mouth, nipping at it and gliding her tongue over it. Lexa whimpers and her hips buck up against Clarke's in desperate need of some relief. The blonde shifts her mouth to the other nipple, continuing her ministrations before she resumes her descent on the brunette's body.

Her lips are inches away from Lexa's waistband when she looks up into emerald eyes, searching for any traces of doubt. When she sees none, she hooks her fingers into the girl's sweatpants, "can I?" she whispers gently.

Lexa gulps and nods, giving away any control she might have still had. Clarke pulls her pants off, the brunette's underwear being the only barrier now. She kisses the inside of her thighs, spending a lot of time there as to give Lexa time to prepare herself or to stop her if she's changed her mind about this. She takes in the damp spot on the girl's underwear and smiles at the realization that Lexa wants this just as much as she does.

"Clarke..." Lexa moans when the blonde gets painfully close to her center without actually touching it, "please" she doesn't really know what she's pleading for but it doesn't matter.

Clarke nods and moves up Lexa's body, before snaking an arm between them, brushing her index and middle finger over Lexa's covered center. The brunette draws in a shaky breath and seeks out the blonde's lips, needing something to anchor herself.

Lexa's hands glide down the expanse of Clarke's back and stop at the small of it. Clarke grabs one of her hands and moves it lower, letting it rest on her backside. Lexa takes the hint and moves her other hand as well before tentatively squeezing the blonde's ass. She moans into Clarke's mouth and gives another squeeze.

"You're so hot" she whispers against Clarke's lips.

Clarke smiles and starts moving down her body once more, "are you sure you're ready?" she asks.

Lexa nods, "I want you" she murmurs.

Clarke presses a kiss to her navel before hooking her fingers in her underwear, pulling it down her legs and throwing it behind her. She admires her girlfriend's glistening center. Lexa feels vulnerable and looks like she wants to cover herself.

"You're beautiful" Clarke whispers, looking deep into her eyes, "so beautiful"

She lowers her head and licks tentatively through the girl's folds, humming as her girlfriend's taste hits her taste buds. Lexa moans loudly at the new sensation and covers her eyes with one hand while the fingers of the other thread through blonde hair, "fuck.." she breathes out.

Clarke takes a broad lick and revels in the sound it draws from the brunette. She flattens her tongue against the girl's center, her hands moving up to caress Lexa's stomach.

She moves her lips to the brunette's clit, closing them around it before sucking lightly. Lexa lets out a strangled moan and her breathing becomes labored as her hips rise from the bed.

Clarke uses one hand to keep her pressed against the mattress while the other joins her mouth on Lexa's center. She runs her index finger through her folds before placing it at the entrance, slowly slipping it inside to let Lexa get used to the stretch.

"Holy fuck..." Lexa's eyes slam shut.

Clarke pushes all the way in and starts thrusting slowly in and out of the girl.

"...feels good.." Lexa says through her ragged breaths, "don't stop.."

Clarke definitely doesn't plan on stopping as she flicks her tongue over the girl's clit, teasing the small bundle of nerves. She knows Lexa's close when she feels her walls clamp around her finger and the brunette starts chanting her name. She increases the pace of her finger and sucks harder on the girl's clit.

Lexa's hips roll unconsciously into her mouth and hand and it takes one more swipe of her tongue against the brunette's clit for the girl to be pushed over the edge. Lexa comes with a cry of Clarke's name and the blonde keeps slowly thrusting in and out of her, helping her come down from her orgasm. She is mesmerized by the sight in front of her. Lexa's eyes are closed and her mouth is open in pleasure.

The brunette lets out a whimper when she pulls out. She kisses her way up the girl's body, stopping to leave tender kisses on both of her cheeks. Lexa's eyes slowly open and watery emerald orbs look back into soft blue ones.

"Are you okay?" Clarke softly asks, kissing her chin, then the tip of her nose.

"I'm more than okay" Lexa replies breathlessly, "that was..." she trails off, unable to describe it, "thank you"

Clarke laughs, "you're welcome" she says through a giggle, "you don't regret it, right?" she asks, vulnerability seeping into her voice.

Lexa props herself up on a elbow, "of course not" she quickly says, "there's no one I would have rather lost my virginity to. I'm so glad it was you" she says earnestly, "do _you_ regret it?"

Clarke shakes her head, "I could never" she says, pressing a kiss on the brunette's lips.

Lexa hums into it, "your turn" she says between kisses, sitting up.

"You don't have to" Clarke tells her despite her clear arousal.

"I want to make you feel good too" Lexa tells her, quickly flipping them around so she's now the one on top, "you're wearing too many clothes" she says, tugging at the waistband of the blonde's shorts.

Clarke doesn't know where the brunette's newfound confidence comes from but she finds it incredibly arousing.

"Can I take this off?" Lexa whispers and gets a nod in reply. She slips the shorts down Clarke's legs and drops them on the ground. She sits on her heels as she stares at the blonde's body, mesmerized, "you're breathtaking" she compliments, climbing back up Clarke's body.

Clarke smiles and blushes lightly, "thank you" she murmurs.

Lexa sends her one last smile, a smile meant to hide her actual nervousness, then dips her head to attach her lips to Clarke's neck. She sucks on the girl's pulsepoint which will most likely leave a mark later. Lexa would be lying if she said she wasn't turned on by the idea of Clarke's skin adorning the proof of their shared night.

Clarke's hips raise from the bed, "Lexa" she pushes on the brunette's shoulders, "this feels amazing but I really need you to touch me" she tells the girl.

Lexa nods. Her throat bops as she swallows deeply before letting her hands slide down Clarke's body. She takes Clarke's underwear off, getting rid of the last barrier between them, then moves her hand to the place she knows Clarke needs her the most and tentatively brushes her fingers against Clarke's center. The loud moan she gets in response prompts her to be more confident with her touch as she runs her index and middle finger through the blonde's folds.

"Fuck..." Clarke breathes out, "please..." she begs.

Lexa breathes deeply and places a finger against Clarke's entrance before pushing her way in. The blonde's hips buck up and she lets out a breathy moan, "holy shit..."

Lexa almost forgets to move, too wrapped up in her girlfriend's beauty. She starts a slow pace with her finger, sliding in and out of the blonde, hoping her inexperience isn't too obvious.

"Fuck...keep doing that, baby" Clarke's hands grip tightly at the sheets.

Lexa realizes then that Clarke is much more vocal than she is and the brunette is loving every second of it.

As per Clarke's request, she adds a finger and resumes her slow thrusts. She leans down to connect her lips with Clarke's, swallowing the girl's moans.

"Faster" Clarke whispers through ragged breaths when she pulls away.

Lexa nods and increases the speed of her movements. She presses her thumb on the blonde's clit, drawing lazy circles over it. The motion is clumsy but it seems to have the desired effect as Clarke's body is now writhing beneath her, the girl panting heavily.

"Fuck, right there...I'm gonna cum" one of Clarke's hands shoots up to grab the back of Lexa's neck and pull her down so that their lips can meet in a kiss full of lust and passion.

Lexa experimentally curls her fingers inside Clarke, hitting that special spot and it sends the blonde into her orgasm. Her back archs off the mattress and she detaches her lips from Lexa's to let out a loud moan.

Lexa keeps the motion of her fingers for a little longer before pulling out. Her jaw drops when Clarke grabs her wrist and closes her lips around the fingers that were inside her mere seconds ago, licking off her own cum from the brunette's fingers while maintaining eye contact with her. Lexa grabs the back of her neck and pulls her in for a searing kiss that leaves them both breathless.

"Did I do it right?" Lexa finally voices her doubts.

Clarke smiles up at her and sits up before taking both of Lexa's hands in hers, her thumb tracing circles over the brunette's skin, "it was perfect" she whispers, "you're perfect" she leaves a chaste kiss on plump lips before laying down, patting the empty space beside her for Lexa to lay down as well.

The brunette rolls on her side to face Clarke and the blonde brings one hand to trace random patterns against the skin of Lexa's hip. A comfortable silence settles in the room as Clarke's fingers glide against Lexa's skin, moving up her arms then along her collarbone to finish by sliding between the brunette's breasts.

"So beautiful" Clarke whispers, moving to snuggle closer to her girlfriend.

The blonde pushes gently on Lexa's shoulder so that the girl is now laying on her back, then lets her head rest against the brunette's chest. Lexa hesitantly brings her arms to wrap around her. Her index and middle finger travel up and down the blonde's spine, drawing a content hum from the girl.

"What time is it?" Clarke sleepily asks, eyelids drooping.

Lexa quickly checks the time on her phone before placing it back inside the nightstand, "it's a little past midnight" she whispers, stroking Clarke's hair.

Clarke hums and smiles as she speaks, "happy birthday, Lexa"

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing smut really isn't my strong suit (mainly cause I'm a virgin) so I hope it didn't suck too much


	13. A bittersweet return to reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I once again have to apologize for taking a whole week to update. I think this will become a regular thing for me to update only once a week due to my upcoming exams and the little bit of social life I still have. On a lighter note, yesterday I experienced my very first Gay Pride here in Brussels and it was really incredible. I totally recommend it. I've never felt like I fitted in as much as I did while I was there :D

 

 

Clarke showers Lexa's face with kisses as the girl slowly awakes.

"Wake up, baby" the blonde whispers close to her ear.

Lexa groans and covers her eyes with her arm to shield them from the light peeking inside the room through the window.

"Five more minutes" she mumbles, "oompf" she lets out when the weight of Clarke's body drops onto her own.

She feels warmth against her skin and only then realizes that she is very much naked. And so is Clarke. Her eyes open and she smiles brightly before wrapping her arms around Clarke's body, memories of the night surging up inside her mind.

"Hey, beautiful" Clarke kisses the tip of her nose before pecking her lips, "happy birthday" she smiles down at the brunette.

Lexa's lips stretch to a grin, "thank you" she murmurs, craning her neck to steal another kiss from her girlfriend.

"We have to get up" Clarke informs her, despite her wish to remain like this forever.

Lexa groans, "no" she mumbles, burying her face in Clarke's neck as she squeezes the blonde tighter in her arms.

Clarke laughs but doesn't try to free herself from the embrace. She simply lifts her head to leave the softest kiss on Lexa's cheek.

"Five more minutes" she tells the brunette who hums in answer.

It ends up being fifteen more minutes before they finally get out of bed and get dressed for the day ahead while stealing shy glances at one another from both sides of the room, smiling contentedly.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

Both girls are glowing as they descend the stairs leading to the hotel lobby, hand in hand. They spot Jake at the far end of the room and walk towards the man who is already engaged in a conversation with Hannah while Tris is playing with Aden a few feet away.

"Lessa!" Aden shouts excitedly as he runs through the room and throws himself into the brunette's arms.

Lexa laughs happily as she picks the boy up and places him on her hip, "how are you, Aden?"

He gives her two thumbs up and she smiles widely. She feels a hand on her shoulder and turns around to face Jake.

"Happy birthday, Lexa" he says, a kind smile plastered on his face.

"Thank you" she thanks the man and can't help the tears prickeling at the corners of her eyes when she thinks over how perfect her life is right now. Before she was kicked out, never in a million years would she have thought that she'd one day go to Disneyland with her girlfriend and the man she now considers as a father figure.

Clarke is quick to brush her tears away with her thumb without questioning the brunette about it. She links her arm with Lexa's, the brunette's hands being unavailable due to the fact she's currently carrying Aden in her arms, and starts leading the girl out of the hotel.

You would think Lexa would be used to being at Disneyland now that she's spent a whole day there but the awe and wonder Clarke saw on Lexa's face when they first got there is once again gracing the brunette's features as they step outside.

"It's still there" Lexa breathes out, looking around in amazment.

Clarke bursts into laughter, "of course it's still there. Did you think it would go away?" she looks at Lexa, amused.

Lexa blushes heavily, "no" she says quietly.

Clarke takes pity on her and gets on her toes to press a kiss to Lexa's cheek, "you're cute" she whispers before pulling away.

Lexa looks down at her feet, her lips stretched into a shy smile. She lets her hand hang between them as they walk, her pinky tentatively brushing against Clarke's until the blonde rolls her eyes and intertwines their fingers.

"You can hold my hand, Lex" she whispers in the brunette's ear, "I'm your girlfriend, in case you didn't know"

"I...I knew that" Lexa stumbles over her words.

"Babe?"

"What?"

"You're blushing" Clarke's lips form a wide grin.

"I'm not"

"You are"

Lexa huffs but doesn't argue any further. She simply grips Clarke's a tiny bit tighter.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

"I'm tired" Clarke complains as she drags her feet behind a very energetic Lexa.

"Same" Jake says from behind them.

They have been walking around for hours now, trying different rides and although her feet are killing her, Clarke loves to see her girlfriend so happy. She intends to make this day the best birthday Lexa has ever had.

Lexa looks at her girlfriend whose shoulders are slumped and she rolls her eyes, "hop on" she instructs as she crouches down in front of the blonde, offering the girl a piggy-back ride.

"Seriously?" Clarke's face lights up.

"Yes" Lexa answers, "now hurry before I change my mind"

"You wouldn't" Clarke says as she climbs on the brunette's back.

"You're right. I wouldn't" Lexa smiles as she rises up and starts walking forward.

They hear a groan behind them and turn to see Tris who looks at them blankly though the slight quirk of her lips betrays her, "are you always this disgustingly adorable?" she asks, one eyebrow raised.

"Always" Jake chimes in, momentarily interrupting his conversation with Hannah.

The woman laughs and Jake sends her a quick smile. Clarke catches on the interaction and smiles slightly.

"Do you want to go eat something?" Jake asks the woman who nods in reply.

"I'd love to"

"Girls, we're going to stop for a bit to eat something" Jake announces. Lexa's already nodding when an idea pops into Clarke's mind.

"You know what? Why don't you and Hannah go while we try one more ride? We'll join you right after" she suggests.

Her father squints her eyes at her and she tries to smile as innocently as possible though her eyes reveal the slightest bit of mischief. Her father hesitantly nods, "okay" he agrees. Clarke internally celebrates and catches sight of Lexa's confused look. The brunette waits until Jake and Hannah are out of sight to ask her question.

"Why did you do that?" she wonders, knowing Clarke wouldn't have turned down food unless she had a really good reason to do so.

Clarke pulls her a bit away from Aden and Tris, "have you noticed something between my dad and her too or am I imagining this?"

"I have noticed" Lexa says because she has. It would be hard to miss if she's being quite honest.

"I just...he's happy" she sighs, "I can tell he is and he hasn't smiled like this in so long because of someone other than me or you and I just wanted..." she trails off.

"You want to give them some time alone because you think she'd be good for your father" Lexa finishes for her.

"That's....exactly it" Clarke says, surprised that Lexa immediately understood her motives, "am I a bad person for wishing that something happens between them even though he's still married to my mom?" she asks quietly, casting her eyes down.

Lexa frowns, "no, of course not" she shakes her head.

She sees Clarke is avoiding meeting her eyes and she tilts the girl's head up by placing her fingers under her chin.

"Abby hasn't been a mother to you for a long time and I might not have lived with you for long but I can tell he is happier now than he is when he's around your mom" she tells the blonde, "you shouldn't feel bad for wanting your father's happiness"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah" Lexa nods. She hugs Clarke back when the blonde crawls into her arms. She feels the blonde's body relax against hers and smiles.

She catches Tris' gaze and gestures with her head for the girl to go on a ride if she wants to instead of waiting for them. The teenage girl nods and grabs Aden's hand before walking away. Lexa smiles when the boy turns around a bit to wave goodbye at her. She waves back with a smile. She then sits Clarke down on a nearby bench and grabs the blonde's hand, "this is the best birthday I've ever had" she tucks a strand of hair behind Clarke's ear, "thank you"

"The day isn't over yet" Clarke points out.

"Then I can't wait for the rest" Lexa offers a kind smile.

Clarke cups her cheeks and connects their lips briefly, "would you go on a date with me sometimes this week?" she asks.

"Isn't this already kind of a date?" Lexa smirks.

"You know what I meant" Clarke fixes her with an unimpressed stare.

Lexa nods, "I'd love to go on a date with you, Clarke"

"Great!" Clarke's face brightens, "what do you want to do now?"

Lexa ponders the question. She drops her head on the blonde's shoulder and sighs happily, "can we just stay here for a bit?"

"Whatever you want" Clarke whispers, pressing a kiss to Lexa's head as people walk past them.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

Jake smiles as he munches on a fry, "so you've been raising them both alone?" he asks.

Hannah nods, "I have" she confirms, "at first, when their father left, I thought I wouldn't be good enough to raise them all alone but I somehow managed" she chuckles, "they're the best thing that's ever happened to me"

"I get that" Jake nods, "Clarke is just...everything I've always wanted her to be and more"

"What about Lexa? You said she lived with you and your wife" she scowls a bit when she pronounces the word _'wife'_ but she covers it up quickly with a smile.

"This is...Lexa's situation is a bit unusual" he tries to explain, "her parents kicked her out when she told them she was gay" he reveals, "my daughter found her sitting on the pavement and I still thank the heavens for it" he smiles, "she truly is the daughter I never thought I'd have"

"It sounds nice" Hannah smiles, taking a bite of her pizza, "have they been together for long?"

"A little less than a month, I think" he answers, "I've always thought no one was good enough for my daughter but Lexa...she cares so much for Clarke's well-being...how could I not love her?" he asks rhetorically.

Hannah hums, "she does seem to be an amazing young woman. Aden likes her a lot" she laughs a bit, "when we came back to the hotel, he kept asking for her"

Jake laughs, picturing the scene, "the poor boy will be heartbroken when we go back home"

Hannah falls silent for a few seconds, "...we don't...we don't have to lose contact with each other" she quietly says, "I mean, Aden would love it if he could still see the girls once we're back home"

"This sounds like a good idea" Jake agrees, "for the kids, obviously" he adds and almost slaps a hand on his face. ** _Who am I kidding?_** He thinks to himself.

Hannah nods with a smile, already rummaging through her bag for a pen and a paper sheet. She jots down a few numbers, then hands the piece of paper to Jake.

"Here's my number" she says, "to keep in touch once we're back home" she adds.

Jake smiles and slips the piece of paper inside his wallet, making a mental note to save the number in his phone once he's back at the hotel.

"Will do" he says, smiling.

"Great" Hannah says, mirroring his smile.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

"We should go find your father" Lexa says after they've been sitting for fifteen minutes. Clarke hums but makes no move to stay, eyes closed.

Lexa gently pushes her off of her body before grabbing her hands to pull the girl to her feet. She is met with a little bit of resistance before Clarke relents and gets up. The blonde lets out a shriek of surprise when, as soon as he feet touch the ground, she is being swept up by Lexa's strong arms, the girl carrying her bridal style.

"I think I'll never get used to how strong you are" Clarke says, sliding her fingertips down Lexa's upper arm, leaving goosebumps in her wake.

"I'm not that strong" Lexa modestly says though her confidence grows a bit at Clarke's praise.

"Yeah, right" Clarke scoffs playfully, "now gimme a kiss" she puckers her lips up.

Lexa happily obliges and leaves a chaste kiss on the blonde's awaiting lips.

"Again" Clarke demands.

Lexa does as told.

"Again"

Once again Lexa connects their lips.

"Again" Clarke reiterates for a third time.

"You're pushing your luck" Lexa says. It only takes a pout and some puppy eyes for Lexa to give her resolve away and peck alluring pink lips. **_So damn weak,_** she thinks to herself.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

The day was slowly coming to an end. They had gone on pretty much every ride, except a few ones that Clarke feared going on which she still feels slightly bad for depriving Lexa of. There is one thing though that Clarke absolutely refuses to miss out on. She silently leads Lexa through the amusement park.

"Where are you going?" Lexa enquires.

"You'll see" Clarke grins.

"Tell me"

"No"

"Please"

"No"

Lexa looks back and raises a questioning eyebrow at Jake.

"Don't look at me" he raises his hands, "I'm just as clueless as you are"

The brunette stops walking and pulls her bottom lip into a pout as she stares pleadingly at Clarke.

"You're cute but it's not going to work this time" Clarke pecks her lips and keeps moving.

"I tried" Lexa shrugs. They walk for a few more minutes before Clarke comes to a halt and turns to look excitedly at Lexa.

"I know it's a bit cliche but I really wanted to do it with you" the blonde says, looking back at the Ferris wheel.

"It's perfect" Lexa smiles.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah" the brunette nods.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

Lexa sits next to Clarke, Jake goes with Hannah which leaves Aden and Tris together. Lexa quickly ruffles the boy's hair before taking her seat.

"He really likes you" Clarke points out.

"I don't know why..." Lexa mutters quietly but Clarke heard it.

She tilts Lexa's head up, "you're amazing" she simply says, "don't ever doubt that" she adds.

Lexa nods and pulls at the hem of her shirt out of habit more than out of nervousness. Clarke's fingers thread through her own, stoping the motion.

The ride starts and Lexa's smile grows progressively as they gain in height. Clarke drops her head on the brunette's shoulder and while the blonde looks at the scenery, Lexa is much more captivated by the girl beside her.

"You're staring" Clarke says, keeping her eyes locked on the darkening sky.

"You're beautiful" Lexa shrugs and yes, this sentence is cliche and overused but it has the desired effect nonetheless because a small smile has settled upon Clarke's features and a slight pink is now tinting the girl's cheeks.

"So are you" Clarke murmurs as she raises her head to look into emerald eyes, "you're so beautiful, Lexa" she repeats.

Lexa leans forward around the same time Clarke does and they meet in the middle in a soft kiss that has both of their bodies melting. Clarke moves from her seat to climb onto Lexa's lap. The brunette's eyes widen at this and she quickly wraps both arms around the blonde's waist.

 _"Clarke!"_ she hisses, "are you crazy? You could have fallen!"

"I didn't" Clarke shrugs, lacing her fingers behind Lexa's neck as she leans forward.

Lexa turns her face so that Clarke's lips land on her cheek instead, "I'm serious, Clarke" she whispers, as if afraid to voice her opinion when it means disagreeing with her girlfriend, "you scared me" she murmurs.

It dawns on Clarke how serious this is and she cups Lexa's cheeks, "I'm sorry, baby" she apologizes, leaving a kiss on the brunette's forehead, "I really am. I won't do it again" she promises.

Lexa nods and tightens her arms around Clarke as her head drops to rest on the girl's chest, "do you think your mom will have come around once we come back?"

Clarke sighs heavily, "I kinda hope she has but then I hope she hasn't because that may be the last push my father needs to file for divorce" she explains, "he deserves to be happy and staying with my mom isn't going to do that"

"You don't have to justify yourself to me" Lexa says, "your feelings are valid. They always are"

"It's just...so _complicated"_ the blonde says, "I just wish it was easier..and even now I feel like such a shitty person because you don't even have the support of either of your parents and I'm here complaining to you about-"

"Shut up" Lexa interrupts her, staring into fleeing blue eyes "everyone has issues. Yours are not in any way less important than mine"

Clarke stays silent.

"Clarke?" Lexa calls, "Clarke, look at me" she demands, "you can talk to me about your problems. I care about you. I might not know a lot in terms of relationships due to my inexperience but I'm your girlfriend and I think that means you can tell me anything" she says earnestly.

Clarke sighs, "I love you" she murmurs.

Lexa's lips part with the intention to finally reciprocate the words but no sound comes out.

"I know" Clarke whispers, although she starts to feel like maybe Lexa doesn't say them back because she doesn't feel the same way. The smile she gives doesn't reach her eyes and she keeps glancing away.

The brunette notices the shift in her behavior and she mentally smacks herself on the forehead for letting her insecurities get the best of her which caused her to unintentionally hurt the girl she loves. Why is it so hard for her to let herself be vulnerable? **_Fuck it,_ ** she thinks, getting ready to finally utter the three little words, "Clarke" she inhales deeply, "Clarke, I lo-"

"I know" the blonde cuts her off, "you don't need to say it back, it's okay if you're not ready"

"No, Clarke, I-"

The Ferris wheel comes to a sudden stop and a voice reaches their ears, _"ladies and gentlemen, please excuse us for this slight unconvenience we are working to fix the problem as soon as possible. Please remain seated and do not panick, we have everything under control"_

"Great" Clarke sarcastically says, "looks like we'll be here for some time" she mutters.

"Clarke, I-"

"At least the view is nice"

"It is but Clar-"

"Is this a bad time to tell you I'm scared of heights? I don't know what came over me when I climbed into your lap because I usually wouldn't do this" Clarke says as she looks down anxiously.

"I love you" Lexa blurts out.

"Cause I'm really scar _\- wait"_ Clarke stops talking, eyes wide, "what did you just say?" she asks, not sure she heard right.

Lexa gulps, "I...I love you" she repeats shyly.

"You do?" Clarke's eyes are wide and bright as a smile draws itself in her face.

"Yes" Lexa nods almost unperceptively, "and I should have told you sooner and I'm such an idiot for letting my insecurities overpower my desire to say it back. For that I'm so, _so_ sorry and I just-"

"Shut up" Clarke's smile is blinding as she smashes her lips against Lexa's.

Lexa's fingers dig into Clarke's waist through her shirt as the blonde deepens the kiss, her tongue slipping past plump lips with ease.

"I love you" Clarke rushes out before claiming her lips again.

The ringing of the blonde's phone pulls them out of their moment. She sees an incoming call from her father and frowns. She looks down to see her father waving at her, gesturing for her to answer the call. She hesitantly does so and brings the phone to her ear.

 _"Hi, Clarkey"_ her father says in a teasing voice.

"You know I hate being called that" she sighs.

"Exactly why I keep using it" he counters, _"but this is not the reason why I called"_ he says, _"as cute as you both are, you are quite literally giving a show to everybody right now"_ he laughs a bit and indeed, they can see a few people looking at them from the ground.

Clarke flushes red and she hangs up the call with a quick _'sorry'_

"What did he say?" Lexa asks.

"To stop giving people a show" Clarke says with an embarrassed chuckle.

"Oh" is the only thing Lexa says, her cheeks heating up when she too, notices the people watching them from afar. Her eyes catch something and they go wide, "Clarke. One of them has a camera pointed at us" she informs the blonde, "isn't it a bit creepy?"

"What?" Clarke looks down and spots the man Lexa's talking about, "oh yes, it's definitely creepy" she readjusts herself on Lexa so that the brunette is entirely shielded by her body from the man and that the only image he can now get is one of Clarke's back.

"People are weird" Lexa says which causes Clarke to erupt in laughter.

She leans forward to briefly kiss the brunette and yelps when the Ferris wheel starts moving again. Lexa's arms around her secure her in place as the brunette holds her close to herself.

They get down after a few minutes and join the others a few feet away. Jake is once again engrossed in a conversation with Hannah. As for Aden, Lexa barely has time to spot him before the boy is running into her.

"Lessa! Lessa!" he shouts excitedly, "it was really cool, right?"

She nods, crouching down, "it was really great"

"Tris said it was lame" he points an accusetory finger at the teenage girl.

Lexa playfully glares at Tris, "how dare you say this? Come on, Aden, let's not surround ourselves with such negativity" she lifts the giggling boy into her arms and winks at Tris before joining Clarke's side again. Tris smiles and shakes her head before walking up to her mother and Jake to ask if they could get something to eat before leaving.

Clarke smiles at her girlfriend when she comes back carrying Aden, "you're gaining in confidence" she points out, "I'm glad"

Lexa smiles, "it's thanks to you" she quietly says.

"While I'm sure I played a part in it, this is mostly your doing" Clarke argues, "I'm proud of you, baby" she whispers before pecking the brunette's lips.

Her phone buzzes and she fishes it out of her pocket.

 

**_Luna - 8.42 PM_ **

_When r u guys coming back?_

 

**_Clarkey - 8.42 PM_ **

_Not sure. Probably around 2 in the morning. Why?_

 

_**Luna - 8.43 PM** _

_Raven won't admit it and she'll probably kill me when she sees this but she misses you and keeps asking every two minutes when you'll be back_

 

Clarke knows how much Raven hates talking about her feelings and indeed, she's probably going to kill Luna for writing this.

 

**_Cla_ _rkey - 8.43 PM_ **

_Tell her we miss her too and we'll see her tomorrow at school_

 

_**Luna - 8.44 PM** _

_Will do ;) see ya tmw_

 

**_Clarkey - 8.44 PM_ **

_See ya, Luna. We missed you as well_

 

**_Luna - 8.44 PM_ **

_This is getting way too emotional. Let me slowly back away from this conversation_

 

Clarke laughs and puts her phone back in her pocket, "Raven misses us"

Lexa raises an eyebrow, "she does?" Clarke hums, "me too" Lexa says.

Lexa yawns and Clarke takes in how tired she looks. Her eyelids are drooping and her body is slumping slightly as she moves at a slower pace than before.

"You're tired" it isn't a question and Lexa nods.

"Yeah but I'm fine" Lexa brushes off.

Clarke takes her hand in hers, "dad" she calls for her dad's attention, "can we go back home?" she asks.

Her dad notices how tired they both look and he nods, "of course, sweetie"

They all walk together back to the hotel to collect their belongings before making their way to their respective cars.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye" Jake says, "for now" he adds quickly.

Hannah nods, "yes. It was great spending time with you and the kids, Jake"

"Likewise" he smiles before hesitating to hug the woman.

Clarke sees her father standing there like a fool, his arms hanging uselessly at his sides while his eyes are screaming that he wants nothing more than to hug the woman. She rolls her eyes at how not smooth her father is and places herself behind him, shoving him lightly towards Hannah.

 _"Just hug her, dammit"_ she whispers.

Her father does as told. He slowly brings his arms around Hannah and breathes a sigh of relief when he notices the action isn't unwelcome. They part with similar smiles etched onto their faces.

"May we meet again" Jake blurts out and Clarke wants to smack him on the back of the head for how cheesy that sounded.

Fortunately for him, Hannah simply laughs and repeats the words, "may we meet again" she smiles kindly at him before walking to her car.

"Come on, kids" she says, "let's climb into the car"

"Wait" Tris says, walking up to Clarke and Lexa to give them both a hug, "thank you for this weekend. It was great" she whispers.

"It was great for us too" Clarke assures her, "we'll see you again, right?"

Tris nods and crouches down when Aden tugs at her sleeve. He whispers something in her ear and she smiles.

"This little guy also wants a hug from you two but he was too shy to ask" Tris says.

Clarke's heart melts and she quickly gets on her knees to wrap her arms around the boy, "we'll see you soon, buddy" she whispers in his ear.

He nods and leaves a watery kiss on her cheek. He then looks up shyly at Lexa, his arms outstretched, "can I get a hug, Lessa?"

She grins and lifts him up, holding him tightly against her chest, "I'll miss you, buddy" she whispers.

"I'll miss you too" he sniffles, trying to hold back his tears. She puts him back on the ground and wipes at his tears, "don't cry" she whispers, "we'll see you again soon"

"You promise?" he holds out his pinky finger.

"I promise" she links her pinky with his.

He reaches for her face and leaves a kiss on her cheek as well, "you're beautiful, Lessa" he repeats the words he first said to her when they met.

Her eyes become teary as she hears the words and she tries to contain her tears when the boy walks away, waving at them the whole time. She waves back and waits until he's inside his car to take her seat.

"He's such a good kid" she breathes out.

"He is" Clarke agrees before leaning closer to leave a kiss on Lexa's temple, "you were amazing with him" she whispers as Jake puts the key in the ignition and starts the vehicule.

Lexa nods and puckers her lips up, eyes closed. She hums when soft lips come to rest over her own.

"Sleep, baby" Clarke whispers, tucking a strand of hair behind Lexa's ear.

The brunette hums, already halfway asleep. She speaks again right before falling asleep, "I love you, Clarke"

Clarke grins and starts stroking the brunette's hair. Jake, who has heard the whole exchange, smiles to himself as he starts the ride back home. It doesn't take long for Clarke to fall asleep as well, her head dropping onto the brunette's which is resting on her shoulder.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

Jake gently shakes them awake, "girls"

Clarke groans and croaks her eyes open slowly, "what?"

"We're home" he smiles at her.

She hums then lets her head drop into Lexa's lap, letting out a content sound. Jake laughs and moves to get their suitcases out of the trunk. He pulls them inside before going back to the car. He opens the backseat door and pats Clarke's legs.

"Sorry to disturb but you would be much more comfortable in your bed"

Clarke groans but gets up anyway. She takes in Lexa's sleeping form and almost feels bad for disturbing her sleep when she shakes the brunette's shoulder.

Lexa's eyes flutter open and she blinks a few times, "where are we?" she asks, confused.

"We're home" Clarke smiles.

 _Home._ There's that word again. Except this time, Lexa feels that the word is definitely the adequate one to describe the Griffins' house. She knows it is thanks to its inhabitants _-minus Abby._

She raises her arms up to stretch her sore muscles and slowly moves from her seat through her sleepy state. They get out of the car and Lexa shuts the car door behind her, stifling a yawn. She takes Clarke's offered hand in hers and lets herself be guided inside. They climb the few stairs leading upstairs and enter Clarke's bedroom.

The blonde drops on the bed and opens her arms. Lexa crawls into them, settling comfortably against the blonde, head resting over her chest. Her ears catch the faint sound of the beating of Clarke's heart and she listens closely to it, finding it soothing.

She is on the brink of falling asleep when they hear voices downstairs ; Abby and Jake's voices. They're not exactly shouting. It sounds more like loud whispers but the conversation seems heated none the less. Clarke looks at her with furrowed eyebrows, concern written over her face. Lexa suddenly doesn't feel as sleepy and she slowly pushes herself off Clarke. The blonde pushes herself up on her elbows and hesitates a little before getting up. Lexa follows her as the blonde marches towards the top of the staircase and crouches down to eavesdrop on her parents' conversation.

 _"You can't possibly be serious"_ they hear Jake say, _"have you even thought about this?"_

 _"I've been thinking about it all week, Jacob"_ Abby counters, _"this is unnatural and I cannot believe you would allow this in our house"_

 _"In my house"_ Jake corrects.

_"What?"_

_"This isn't your house anymore"_ he states firmly.

The two girls don't hear anything for a few seconds until Abby's voice echoes through the house.

 _"W-what is that supposed to mean?"_ she splutters out.

Jake sighs, _"I warned you, Abby"_ he says, _"you obviously won't ever change your views and I cannot fathom that you would dare to put your reputation before your own daughter's happiness"_

_"I'm not-"_

"Yes!" Jake says louder before clearing his throat, _"yes you are. Lexa makes her happier than I've seen her in a long time but you refuse to see that or maybe you see it and simply decides to ignore it"_

Lexa puts a reassuring hand on Clarke's shoulder, drawing small circles with her thumb.

 _"I can't do this anymore, Abby"_ Jake sighs, _"I tried. I really did but I've had enough"_ he says, _"the divorce papers will be dropped to you at the hospital as soon as possible. You can decide not to sign them but if you do so, it'll only end up in a trial that I'm sure to win"_ he tells the woman, "do not make this any more difficult than it already is"

Clarke doesn't even notice tears are running down her cheeks until Lexa's wiping them away. She turns around and wraps her arms around the brunette, holding her tightly.

"It'll be okay" Lexa whispers, "I'm here"

Clarke nods against her chest, biting back a sob, "I don't-" she inhales shakily, "I don't know why I- why I'm crying. It's what I wanted" she sobs out, "this is stupid..."

"Shh.." Lexa gently hushes her, bringing a hand up to stroke the girl's hair, "it's not stupid" she tells her, "nothing you feel will ever be stupid"

Clarke's fists close around Lexa's shirt, wrinkling it but neither cares in that moment.

"W-why are things always s-so c-complicated?" Clarke whispers shakily.

Lexa remains silent, not having an answer to that question. She keeps stroking the girl's hair until she feels Clarke's body go limp in her arms and hears the girl's breathing even out, indicating the girl has fallen asleep. She places her hands respectively on the girl's back and behind her knees to carry her to the bedroom. She gently lowers her to the bed and tucks her in before slipping under the covers herself. She wipes at the blonde's tears and leaves a kiss on her forehead before draping an arm over her waist to hold her.

Despite her exhaustion, she stays awake a couple more hours to watch after Clarke. It is worth being tired the next day if it means Clarke is okay.

 

 


	14. Enter Nia Queen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 14. I hope you'll like it :D Also, I'm thinking I will set a schedule for my updates and get a new chapter out every Sunday. That way, you know when to expect a new chapter. TW : use of homophobic slurs

 

 

After hearing her pager go off, Abby heads towards the reception hall, brushing a hand over her face to try and get rid of her tiredness. She sighs heavily and walks up to the receptionist, "you called for me?"

Harper looks up and smiles kindly, "yes" she confirms, "someone dropped off this enveloppe for you"

Abby didn't have to check inside to know what it contained. Her face fell momentarily before she schooled her features and accepted the enveloppe she was being handed.

"I trust you did not take a look at the content of it" she gestures at the enveloppe.

"I would never" the receptionist assures her.

Abby nods in thanks and makes her way into one of the on-call rooms to have some privacy. She rips the lid off and pries the papers out of the enveloppe. A quick glance at it confirms that it is indeed what she thought it to be ; divorce papers. Her features harden and her first instinct is to throw it in the nearest trashcan but she keeps it together, telling herself it'd be wiser to keep a copy of it in the case of a trial. She refuses to go down without a fight. In her opinion, she has every right to claim the custody of Clarke.

Her eyes rake through the divorce papers, looking for some kind of loophole, some kind of way to get what she wants. She sighs when her search comes fruitless.

"Fuck" she mutters under her breath, already dialing the number of a trusted lawyer. The phone rings twice before it is answered, "I need your help" she says before the lawyer can even start speaking.

"I'm listening" the woman on the other end of the line says.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

Lexa slowly awakes and frowns when she realizes that the other side of the bed is empty, "Clarke?" she hoarses out, rubbing her eyes.

"Right here" the blonde says from her position on a chair. Lexa's head turns in the direction from which the sound comes and sees Clarke holding a pen and a sketchbook.

"You're drawing" she points out the obvious.

"How did you guess?" Clarke teases, "was it the pen or the sketchbook that gave away?"

Lexa fixes her with an unimpressed stare. Clarke laughs and closes her sketchbook.

"No, don't stop" Lexa says, "it's been a while since you drew like that"

"Like what?"

Lexa shrugs, "I don't know how to explain it. You just...you look happy when you draw"

"It's because I am" Clarke smiles, "anyway, even if I wanted to keep drawing, my model just moved so I wouldn't be able to"

It takes three seconds for Lexa to connect the dots, "you were drawing me?"

"Yes" Clarke confirms.

"Oh" Lexa says, "I can pretend I'm sleeping if you want" she suggests.

It makes Clarke smile but she shakes her head, "no need. I did it more out of boredom than anything" she shrugs, dropping her sketchbook next to her, "I'll finish it later"

She rises to her feet and kneels on the bed, between Lexa's legs. The brunette tries to push herself up on her elbows but Clarke stops her by placing a hand on her chest to push the girl right back on the mattress.

"Why did you d-"

Lexa's question remains unasked as Clarke cuts her off by pressing her lips hard against the brunette's. A hum works its way up Lexa's throat and her hands find purchase on Clarke's hips. The blonde moves on the bed to straddle Lexa, one leg on each side of her waist.

The brunette slowly brings her hands up Clarke's back, keeping them over the fabric of the girl's shirt. Clarke huffs because although she loves how gentle Lexa always is with her, she needs more. She deepens the kiss and starts a grinding motion with her hips. Her moan is swallowed by Lexa's lips and the brunette finally slips her hands under her shirt so they can travel along the length of Clarke's back.  

Clarke gently grabs Lexa's arms, pulling them away from her body before pinning them over the brunette's head. Lexa looks at her in slight shock but Clarke notices how the girl's pupils have considerably darkened, "is this okay?" Clarke asks softly. Lexa nods and Clarke dips her head to leave kisses down the brunette's jaw and neck until she reaches the girl's pulsepoint and sucks lightly on it.

Lexa suddenly realizes something, "Clarke..." she says breathily, "we have to go to school" she half-heartedly reminds the blonde.

Clarke groans but doesn't pull away, "don't wanna go" she mumbles against Lexa's skin before sinking her teeth into it, drawing a whimper from Lexa.

"Fuck...me neither but we have to" Lexa begrudgingly reiterates. She tries to free her arms from Clarke's grip and the blonde lets go after a few seconds, always so respectful of Lexa's wishes.

Lexa uses all her will-power to push on Clarke's shoulders to detach the blonde's lips from where they were sucking eagerly on her pulsepoint. Clarke sighs and pushes herself off Lexa, leaving one last kiss on plump lips, "I hate school"

Lexa laughs and gets up, trying to ignore how worked up she is as she gathers some clothes. She pulls her pyjama shirt over her head and catches Clarke gawking at her. She raises an eyebrow and the blonde looks away with a slight blush. Lexa chuckles and unfolds the plain white shirt she just stole from her girlfriend. She puts it on before pulling her shorts down her legs so she can put her black pants on.

"That's my shirt" Clarke observes.

Lexa looks down at the shirt and smiles sheepishly, "yes" she nods shyly, "is it okay that I borrowed it?"

"Is it okay?" Clarke repeats incredulously, "it's more than okay" she whispers, "I mean...you're wearing my shirt" she repeats.

Lexa chuckles and scratches the back of her neck.

"My clothes look good on you" the blonde whispers as she steps closer.

"Clarke" Lexa warns when the blonde slips her hands under her shirt, grazing the brunette's abs, "we can't be late"

Clarke throws her head back with a groan before retracting her hands, settling for pecking the brunette's lips instead.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

"I can't believe we're here when we could be making out instead" Clarke complains as their teacher explains something about the involvement of France in World War II. Or was it about the involvement of Germany? Clarke can't remember because she has drown out the sound of her teacher's voice a long time ago.

"Focus, Clarke" Lexa chides her, pointing her finger at the blackboard where their teacher is currently writing the things they have to study for their history exam.

"How do you expect me to focus when you look this beautiful?" Clarke says.

Lexa blushes, "just focus" she mumbles, scribbling down what the teacher writes on the board, knowing damn well she'll forget it if she doesn't.

"You're cute when you blush" Clarke says, finding it amusing how quickly she can get her girlfriend all flustered.

 _"Clarke"_ Lexa whispers loudly, "stop"

"Why?" Clarke raises an eyebrow as her lips form a grin, "are you embarrassed that I think you're cute?"

"Yes" Lexa says, a small smile betraying her amusement.

Clarke gasps, "you wound me" she places a hand over her chest in mock offense.

"Miss Griffin!" the teacher calls loudly, startling the blonde, "would you please do us all the honor to stop chatting during the lesson?"

A few snickers from other students can be heard and Clarke flushes with embarrassement, "sorry" she mumbles, picking up her pen although she has no intention to write anything.

Lexa's hand moves under Clarke's desk to reach for the blonde's hand and link their fingers. She mouths _'sorry'_ as she brushes her thumb over the blonde's knuckles. Clarke shakes her head and scribbles something down before moving her notebook so Lexa can take a look at it.

_  
_

 

> _Don't apologize. I'm the one who distracted you_

 

Lexa grabs a pencil and writes something below Clarke's note.

 

 

> _Well, I happen to love it when you distract me_

 

Clarke smiles brightly at her and squeezes Lexa's hand under the desk before finally turning her attention to whatever the teacher's saying. Her brows are furrowed in concentration as she tries to understand whatever the hell her teacher is talking about. She feels a tug on her hand and turns her head in Lexa's direction. The brunette slips a small piece of paper on her desk for Clarke to read.

 

 

> _You look absolutely beautiful_

 

Clarke's eyes turn soft and the crease of her brows disappear as she gazes at her girlfriend, "thank you" she whispers, a smile plastered on her face. Lexa smiles as well, happy that her message has had the desired effect.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

"Hey, O" Clarke greets the girl, "it's been a while since you've eaten with us" she points out.

"I know, I'm sorry" Octavia sighs as she plops down into a seat, "being on the soccer team is just way more time-consuming than I expected it to be. Especially seeing as they're pushing us to get better because of how close we are to the beginning of the competition"

"We're not blaming you" Clarke reassures her, "we know how important this is for you" she adds.

"Thanks, Clarkey" Octavia winks.

"Why does everyone always call me that?" Clarke huffs in slight annoyance.

"I don't" Lexa points out.

Clarke leaves a kiss on her cheek, "that's cause you're the only nice person here"

Raven, Luna and Octavia don't even bother refuting that claim. They all just shrug before resuming eating, a smirk plastered on Raven's face.

"When's the first game?" Raven asks as she munches on her sandwich. Luna uses a napkin to wipe off some mayonnaise which has dripped down Raven's chin.

"In two weeks" Octavia replies proudly, "I'm excited. A bit nervous but definitely excited"

"You shouldn't be nervous" Luna tells the girl, "you'll do amazing"

"I really hope so" Octavia sighs lightly.

The conversation drifts onto other topics and Lexa listens to it in silence as she takes a bite of her sandwich. She still isn't comfortable enough to actively participate in the conversation but she at least feels like she somehow belongs among this group of people. She knows it has a lot to do with Clarke being right beside her.

She feels something hit the back of her head and turns to see Bellamy and some of his friends snickering a few tables away as they stare at her in a way that makes her feel uncomfortable. She picks up the crumpled piece of paper that was obviously porpusely thrown at her head and unfolds it. She freezes and feels tears well up in her eyes upon reading what's written on it.

 

 

> _When you finally get tired of being a dyke, call me and I'll show you what a real man feels like_

 

Clarke feels the shift in Lexa's behavior and looks at the brunette, noticing the piece of paper she is currently holding with her trembling hands.

"What is it?" she asks, concerned. Lexa slowly turns the paper so Clarke can read it as well.

The blonde's eyes fill with fury as she snaps her head towards Bellamy's table, not even needing to ask to know it comes from them, recognizing the boy's handwriting. Bellamy shies away under her glare and looks down at his food, acting innocent but Clarke knows better. She throws her fork on the table with a loud clatter and her chair screeches as she slides away from the table and abruptly gets up.

"No, Clarke" Lexa quietly says, "it's no big deal"

Clarke frowns, "Lex, I'm not going to sit here and let them insult you" she says, shaking her head.

She starts striding dangerously fast towards Bellamy's table, her movements followed by most students. She even hears one mumble _'oh shit'_ as she closes in on Bellamy who seems unaware of her arrival. She grabs the boy's head and slams it into his plate, covering his face with the mashed potatoes that were on it. Lexa's eyes widen.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!?" he shouts, using a napkin to wipe at his face.

She looks at him in a mixture of anger and disbelief, _"what's wrong with me?_ Are you for real right now?!" she raises her voice.

"You just attacked me out of nowhere!" he raises his arms.

She scoffs, "right, cause you totally didn't send a crumpled piece of paper on which you insulted my girlfriend and unashamedly sexually harrassed her" she sarcastically says.

"I didn't harass her" he denies.

"Oh yeah? And what do you call _'unwelcomely proposing someone for sex with the knowledge that the person concerned doesn't want anything to do with you'_ then?"

"I like to call it being persistent" he shrugs, "I simply go after what I want. Besides, it's not like it's unwelcome. That slut clearly wants it"

Lexa sees Clarke's features turn even darker than they were before, if it is even possible, and ignores the pang of hurt she feels at Bellamy's choice of words to try and get to the blonde before she does anything stupid. She isn't fast enough and can't make it in time before Clarke punches Bellamy hard. A few gasps can be heard amongst the students witnessing the scene as the boy's head flies backwards and he holds his nose in pain, grunting.

Clarke raises her fist to land another punch but is stopped when Lexa's hand shoots up to grab her arm while the brunette's other arm wrap around her waist, holding her back.

"Clarke, stop" she whispers in the fuming girl's ear, "he's not worth it" she adds, doing her best not to let the boy's words get to her so she can focus on calming her girlfriend down.

A teacher runs into the cafeteria and gets between them, putting a hand on Bellamy's chest to keep him from retaliating.

"Enough!" the teacher yells, "I want everyone to get quiet" he then points to Bellamy and Clarke, "you two, in the principal's office. Right now"

Clarke huffs and stops struggling against Lexa's hold, though the glare she fixes Bellamy with doesn't lessen.

"I'm sorry, Clarke" Lexa whispers as she lets go of the blonde's waist.

"What?" Clarke turns to look at her, "none of this is your fault. You hear me?"

Lexa nods, albeit unconvinced and watches helplessly as her girlfriend is being dragged to the principal's office.

"Good job, princess" Bellamy mutters as they exit the cafeteria.

"You call me that again and I'll cut your fucking dick off" she threatens.

"Miss Griffin, language!" the teacher scolds, "do not get yourself in more trouble than what you're already in" he warns.

The teacher knocks on the door and they wait a few seconds before receiving the permission to enter. Mr. Kane sighs upon seeing Bellamy's bloodied nose and gestures for them to take a seat before dismissing the teacher who brought them in. He pinches the bridge of his nose as he asks his question, "would any of you care to explain why Mr. Blake has a bloodied nose and why Mr. Jones thought it wise to bring you two to me?"

They both start speaking at the same time and the principal cuts them off by raising a hand.

"One at a time, please" he says, "Mr. Blake, please proceed"

Clarke huffs and slumps back in her seat but remains quiet nonetheless as Bellamy tells his _-embelished-_ version of the story.

"I was just quietly eating my lunch when Clarke smashed my head into my mashed potatoes out of nowhere"

Clarke scoffs, "stop lying. You know damn well tha-"

"Miss Griffin, please remain silent until its your turn" Kane says.

 _"As I was saying,_ she attacked me out of nowhere and then punched me. She was about to do it again when Lexa Woods held her back. That's when Mr. Jones intervened" he finishes his explanation, "I seriously don't know what prompted her to do that"

Clarke rolls her eyes but keeps silent. She watches as the principal squints his eyes in suspicion at Bellamy's words.

"Mr. Blake, I have to say, I find it quite hard to believe that Ms. Griffin would do such thing if she didn't have a good reason to" he turns his attention to the blonde, "would you care to share your version of the events?"

Clarke nods, "I would gladly do so since Bellamy seems to have selective memory"

"I told the truth. Not my fault if-"

"Mr. Blake, the same rule applies to you too. You had your turn, now stay quiet" Kane scolds him before gesturing at Clarke to proceed in her explanation.

"We were eating quietly when I noticed a shift in my girlfriend's behavior. I turned to look at what was going on and Lexa was holding this piece of paper with written on it things that I refuse to repeat but I can show you the note if you wish" she explains, "all I will say was that it was downright homophobia and sexual harrasment" she reveals.

Kane nods in understanding, already planning to take a look at said note.

"The rest of the story was pretty much what Bellamy said except that he forgot to mention the part where he provoked me by insulting once more my girlfriend"

"What kind of insult are we talking about here?" Kane enquires.

Slutshaming, sir" Clarke replies.

Kane nods, "I understand but you surely are aware of our school's no violence policy" Kane carefully says.

"I am aware" she nods, "I acted irrationally but I can't say I regret doing so because he had it coming" she admits, "I can however assure you I'll do my best to keep it from happening again"

"I appreciate your honesty, Ms. Griffin" the principal says, "but I cannot let this go unpunished. I hope you understand that"

"So you're just going to believe her?!" Bellamy shouts, "no questions asked?!"

"I still need to take a look at the note but if the handwriting on it matches yours, I will have to take her word for it" Kane calmly says.

"That's bullshit" Bellamy snarls, "just because she's a _dyke_ and you got that whole image to keep up"

"Such vocabulary will not be tolerated in here" Kane firmly says, "we are very adamant that each student deserves and receives equal treatment" he continues, "bullying or harrassment of any kind will not be tolerated. I'd suggest you keep quiet for now as you are only aggravating your case"

 _"Fucking faggots"_ Bellamy mutters under his breath. It takes all of Clarke's willpower not to punch him again in that exact moment.

Kane breathes deeply through his nose and places two fingers on each temple, "where is that note as of now?"

"I think Lexa has it" Clarke says.

Kane nods and quickly dials Mr. Jones' number to ask him to bring in the brunette, making sure she has said note with her. A couple minutes later, Mr. Jones enters the room with Lexa in tow. The brunette shyly closes the door behind her, trying to ignore the glare she gets from Bellamy. She silently hands the note to Kane before taking a seat next to her girlfriend, immediately seeking out the blonde's hand with hers.

Kane pulls out one of Bellamy's previous exams from the shelf behind him and compares the handwriting. He takes off his glasses and sighs, "it matches" he announces, "first of all, I would like to personally apologize to you, Ms. Woods" he says, "those are not things that we stand for and we're sorry you have to deal with this"

"Oh, i-it's okay" she stutters out.

"Mr. Blake, you will be suspended for a week, then have a two-hour detention everyday for another week while Ms. Griffin will go to a one-hour-detention everyday for two weeks" Kane decides.

Bellamy rises from his seat, "so I get suspended and I get detention but she only gets detention!?" he points angrily at the blonde, "she punched me!!"

Kane sighs, "do not question my decision. It isn't too late for me to extend your punishment. Consider yourself lucky it's only a week"

Bellamy scowls and leaves the room, slamming the door as he does so. The three others remain quiet until the newfound silence is broken by Kane.

"You are both free to get back to the cafeteria. Once again, Ms. Woods, I apologize for what happened" he says sincerely. The brunette nods and walks out of the room with Clarke, hand in hand.

Luna, Raven and Octavia are waiting for them in the hallway.

"Is everything alright?" Luna asks.

Clarke looks at Lexa, then nods, "yeah, I think so"

"That was pretty fucking badass what you did there, Clarkey" Raven exclaims and it draws a small laugh from Clarke.

"Yeah well, he attacked Lexa so..." she trails off, scraping the back of her neck with her free hand.

Lexa smiles and squeezes the blonde's hand, "thank you, Clarke" she murmurs.

Clarke smiles in lieu of response before turning her attention back to their group of friends, noticing how Octavia won't look at them in the eyes, "is everything alright, O?" she asks.

Octavia snaps her head up, "I'm sorry this happened" she sighs. Clarke opens her mouth to say something but is cut off by Octavia, "and I know you're going to tell me it's not my fault but he's my brother and therefore my responsibility" the soccer player says, "he can just be such a dickhead sometimes" she brushes a hand over her face.

"You shouldn't have to care for your brother" Lexa interjects which is unusual for her, "he's old enough to make his own decisions"

Octavia nods and unexpectedly steps closer to pull Lexa into hug before whispering something in the brunette's ear, "if he does anything again, tell me and I'll kick his ass as soon as we're home. I mean it"

Lexa chuckles, "thank you, Octavia" she smiles at the girl.

Clarke is the next one to speak, "I love you guys but can I speak to Lexa alone for a little bit?"

The other girls all nod and head back inside the cafeteria. Lexa turns to Clarke with a frown, "what did you want to talk ab-"

Her sentence turns into a yelp when Clarke tugs at her hand and leads her outside. Lexa has an idea where they're heading and surely, after a short walk, they find themselves in a familiar playground. Clarke sits on the grass and prompts Lexa to do the same. She takes both of the brunette's hands in hers, bringing them up to press a kiss on each of the girl's knuckles. Lexa's heart melts at the small gesture.

"I don't want you to ever believe a word he says, you hear me?" Clarke says.

Lexa nods.

"There is nothing wrong with you being gay" Clarke speaks the words slowly and softly.

Her whole life, Lexa has been surrounded by homophobia, whether it coming from her parents, Abby or Bellamy and she's never noticed how badly she needed someone to tell her that there was nothing wrong with her loving women. She exhales shakily and nods, "okay" she simply says, trying to keep her tears at bay.

"You are so strong" Clarke tells her, "and so, so beautiful" she brings a thumb to wipe away a few traitorous tears from Lexa's cheek, "and I am so in love with you"

Lexa's heart jumps in her chest and she surges forward, engulfing Clarke in a bone-crashing hug, "I'm in love with you too" she says ever so quietly, almost inaudibly but Clarke heard it. The blonde just knows she won't ever get tired of hearing Lexa say that. Somehow, those words seem even more powerful than just simply saying _'I love you'_

They stay like this, holding each other for a long time until Clarke speaks again, "I can't feel my left leg" she chuckles a bit.

Lexa notices how the blonde has been sitting on her left leg this whole time and she quickly pulls away with a watery laugh, "sorry" she whispers.

"Are you okay?" Clarke needs to ask.

Lexa nods, "I am" she confirms, "thanks to you" she adds with a soft smile, "can I...." she trails off.

"Yes?" Clarke archs an eyebrow.

"...can I kiss you?" Lexa asks.

Clarke finds it adorable how Lexa often asks permission to kiss her and she secretely hopes the brunette won't ever stop doing it because it is one of her favorite things.

"You can" Clarke nods.

Lexa leans closer and delicately attaches her lips to Clarke's. The blonde smiles into the kiss and pushes on Lexa's shoulders so that the girl is now laying on the grass. Clarke lowers her body onto Lexa's, not once breaking the kiss. The brunette's hands move to caress the small of her back as her tongue grazes the blonde's bottom lip.

Clarke lets out a small yelp when Lexa suddenly rolls them over, ending up on top, "that's hot" Clarke comments before craning her neck to claim Lexa's lips again. Both let out a small moan as their tongues make contact. Clarke's hands slide up and down Lexa's jaw before settling behind the girl's neck as she changes the angle of the kiss, not letting up in the vigor with which she kisses the girl. The blonde rolls them around once more.

"Ow!" Lexa exclaims and Clarke gets off of her hurriedly.

"Did I hurt you? I'm sorry" she is quick to say.

Lexa checks behind her and laughs when she sees that a kid must have left his toys behind because she just hurt her back against a playmobil character. She picks it up and shows it to Clarke.

"I present you with the weapon used for my attempted murder" she jokes, waving the toy around.

Clarke laughs and moves behind Lexa to lift up the girl's shirt, which is technically Clarke's, and check the red mark now present on the brunette's back.

"What's the diagnosis, doc?" Lexa asks.

"It's a tough call but I think you'll live" Clarke responds, smiling.

Lexa giggles and Clarke presses a kiss to the mark on the brunette's back before letting the girl's shirt drop back into place. The blonde settles against Lexa. Her back pressed against the brunette's front as she sits between the girl's legs. Lexa wraps her arms around Clarke's middle and buries her face in blonde hair, breathing the smell of vanilla that she now associates with Clarke.

"Clarke?" the blonde hums as a response, "can we talk about something before going back?"

The blonde frowns but nods anyway, "sure, what do you want to talk about?"

"Your mother" Lexa says and she can feel Clarke freeze in her arms, "I just...you were crying last night and then this morning you weren't but I feel like maybe you're trying to avoid talking about your feelings and I'm not saying it's bad...I just...forget it" she shakes her head dismissively.

Clarke turned around somewhere during Lexa's rambling and she cups the brunette's cheeks, "let's talk about it" she decidedly says.

Green eyes snap up to meet blue ones, "it's fine if you don't want to...I was just a bit worried, that's all" Lexa shrugs.

"I'm not trying to keep things from you...I just didn't think this was something you'd be interested in talking about"

"I want to know everything there is to know about you, Clarke" Lexa says, "I will always gladly discuss anything with you"

Clarke nods and inhales deeply, "I'll admit, it hurt me to hear my parents were getting a divorce because I've lived my whole life with them both but I know this is the right thing to do. My mom...she's not who she used to be anymore and although she has always been a bit hard on me, it was never to this extent" she sighs.

Lexa places her hands over Clarke's which are still framing the brunette's face. She nods encouragingly at the blonde.

"I think some part of me still believed she could change. That she would see reason and realize that her family should be what matters the most but she is so blinded by her fear of having a bad reputation that she doesn't see how hurtful it can be to those around her"

Clarke drops her hands in her lap and  Lexa keeps her own to herself, not wanting the contact to be unwelcome. Clarke sees how the brunette's hands itch to touch hers and she intertwines their fingers. Lexa lets out a soft breath when both their skin makes contact.

"My father also kept that hope, I think. It changed when you came along because now it wasn't only about us, it became about you too. I've never been happier than when I'm with you and my father sees that. He would never even dream to take that away from me so when my mom threatened to take you away from us, I believe this is what prompted him to finally take that final step and get a divorce"

"So it's my fault" Lexa concludes.

"No" Clarke shakes her head, "you're completely missing the point. You're the reason my father did something he's thought about doing for over two years now" she clarifies, "you're the reason my father became brave enough to finally go up against my mom"

Lexa still looks unsure so Clarke scoots closer and leans her forehead against the brunette's.

"You make us both so happy" she whispers, "you have no idea how much you've changed our lives" she says, "for the better" she adds.

"I did?" Lexa's voice comes out in a whisper.

"Yes" Clarke smiles, "we both love you so much. Hell, my dad keeps singing your praises and I don't even blame him because you truly are amazing"

"I'm not that great" Lexa modestly says.

"See, that's where you're wrong" Clarke argues, "you always think of others before even beginning to think of yourself and although I think you should be more selfish sometimes, this is part of what I love about you. Your tendency to care for others. You always make sure I feel comfortable with whatever it is we're doing. That's how amazing you are" she finishes her rant.

"You really think this highly of me?" Lexa asks incredulously.

"I do" Clarke confirms, "I always have and always will. I love you, Lexa, and that's not going to change"

"You can't be sure of that" Lexa says defeatedly.

"I've never felt like this about anyone else" Clarke confesses, "it was scary at first, realizing how much I loved you" she adds, "but then, when I found out my feelings weren't as one-sided as I thought they were-"

"Wait" Lexa stops her, "how long have you known you loved me?" she asks out of curiosity.

Clarke blushes and looks down at her lap, "well...I mean, I guess I didn't know what it was then but I've had feelings for you since the day we met, I think"

"But...you didn't even know me back then"

"I know" Clarke says, "and it could seem weird and extremely cheesy but I just felt something the first time I looked into your eyes. I didn't dwell on it because I had other things on my mind, like get you to safety but yeah" she concludes.

Lexa stares at her in silence and already Clarke backtracks.

"It's so fucking corny, I knew it. Forget I said anything"

"No!" Lexa blurts out, "it's not corny. I'm just confused as to how someone like you could fall in love with someone like me"

"How could I not fall in love with you?" Clarke turns the question around.

Lexa opens her mouth and stutters before replying, "because I'm _me_...and you're you"

"And I love you" Clarke completes the sentence, "I don't care if I have to say it a thousand times to get you to believe it"

"I believe you" Lexa says, "I just don't understand why"

"We've been over this" Clarke murmurs, taking a hold of Lexa's hand, "you're a beautiful person, Lex. Inside and out"

"Then why didn't my parents want me?" Lexa blurts out, voice cracking slightly.

Clarke is taken aback by the raw emotion she sees in Lexa's eyes. She finally understands what the root of the brunette's insecurities is.

"Your parents were stupid to abandon you when you needed them the most. They're not good people and I'm sorry to say this but their opinion is shit and in no way defines who you are as a person"

Lexa nods and lets her head drop to Clarke's shoulder, "why do we both have to suffer through family issues?" she wonders aloud.

"Life sucks" Clarke says and it draws a small chuckle from Lexa.

"It sucks a lot less when I'm around you" the brunette dares to whisper. Clarke smiles widely and lifts Lexa's head up to join their lips in a slow kiss.

Lexa opens her eyes through the kiss to check the time on her phone.

"Shit" she whispers as she pulls away, "we're late" she gets up in a hurry and wipes the dirt off her pants, already sliding her bag over her shoulder.

"Slow down, baby" Clarke laughs, "we're already late anyway so we might as well take our time to get back there" she kisses Lexa's jaw before taking the girl's hand and starting the short walk back to school.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

"Yes" Abby nods solemnly at the woman sitting in front of her, "I understand this won't be easy but I really need to win this"

"Then I shall do my best to insure your success" Nia Queen smirks from the other end of the table, gathering a small stack of paper.

"I'll anounce tonight to my soon to be ex-husband my wish to take this to Court so be ready to take whatever course of action is needed in order to be as ready as possible" she demands, "I will not tolerate any slip up"

"I understand, Abby. I won't disappoint you, I promise" Nia smirks as she holds the door for the other woman.

Abby nods one last time before leaving the lawyer's office. She walks down the street to her house and finds it empty. Knowing her husband and daughter won't be home until at least three hours later, she pours herself a glass of wine and settles comfortably into the couch as she turns on the tv. She grabs the divorce papers and flicks through the pages once more, in search of any possible details she might have missed the first time she read it.

She hears the turn of a key inside the lock and frowns. She turns around and sees her husband hang his coat while taking off his shoes.

"You're home early" she points out.

"Yeah" he nods, "they didn't need me for the rest of the day and let me go home" he says blankly, "have you signed the papers yet?"

Abby clears her throat, "about that" she starts, "I won't agree to your terms"

Jake sighs but isn't surprised. He knew what to expect when he asked for the papers to be dropped off at the woman's job, "why must you always be like this? Why can't you just make this easy for the both of us?"

"And letting you have what you want while I get nothing?"

"Because you think you deserve something out of this?" Jake raises an eyebrow.

Abby rises from her seat, "Clarke is my daughter and I will get custody of her. She should be with her mother"

"She should be with someone who puts her interest first" Jake counters.

"And I don't?"

"No, you don't" Jake says, "you only think about your reputation" he accuses, pointing a finger at the woman whose eyes widen.

Abby takes a step back, "this...this isn't true" she denies.

Jake scoffs and shakes his head, "then how do you explain the fact that you couldn't even accept your daughter's bisexuality and her relationship with Lexa even though it clearly makes her happier than she's been in years?"

"My daughter isn't... _bisexual"_ she spits the words as if they burned her, "it's just a phase and she'll realize it soon enough"

Jake pinches the bridge of his nose, "you can't keep ignoring things in hopes that they'll go away. Clarke is bisexual. She's in love with Lexa and Lexa's in love with her. They're happy and you're trying to take that away from her"

"I'm doing what's best for my daughter!" Abby raises her voice.

"That's where you're wrong. You're doing what's best for you under the pretense of putting your daughter's supposed needs first" he corrects, "I won't let our daughter be a pawn in your little games anymore. And I won't let you drag Lexa down in your little quest for fame and recognition" he states confidently, "you want to take this to Court? Fine. But do not forget how hurtful it could be for Clarke to have to undergo a trial, without mentioning how stressful it'll be for her to know that her future and the future of her relationship with Lexa will be determined by one decision from a judge whom she doesn't even know"

Abby remains silent. Her lips are set into a thin line and her jaw clenches in barely contained anger, "she will thank me for this later" she says before emptying her glass of wine and heading upstairs.

Jake drops on the couch and buries his face in his hands. ** _Well, this could have gone better_** , he thinks to himself.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

Clarke frowns when she sees her father sitting on the couch, flicking through pages and pages of a legal document which she assumes are he divorce papers, "dad?"

"Hey, baby girl" he rubs a hand over his face and puts the file away, "how was your day?"

"It was good" she shrugs, "Lexa went to the gym so she could train with Anya and catch up on the lesson she missed on Saturday" she explains before her father can even ask anything, "what's this?" she nods at the file.

Jake sighs and pats the empty space next to him on the couch, "so you know your mom and I have been having some...issues lately" he starts, "I...I decided to get a divorce" he jumps straight to the point, "I'm sorry to put you in such situation but you have to trust I'm doing this for our own good and I wouldn't blame you if you were angry or whatever but-"

"Dad" Clarke cuts him off, "I knew" she reveals.

"W-what do you mean?"

"I overheard your conversation with mom last night" she admits, "I didn't mean to eavesdrop but I just..." she trails off, "I'm not mad at you. I understand why you did it. I'm just scared it won't be as easy as we both want it to be"

Jake sighs and wraps one arm around his daughter, "you know how your mom is" he says, "she can be quite stubborn which can sometimes be an asset but here, only makes things harder for all of us. I suspect she has already contacted a lawyer and if I know anything about her, I think it will be Nia Queen"

"Isn't she the one who-"

"Yes, that's her" Jake sighs, "I've never liked the woman. It is obvious to me that she doesn't play by the rules. We will have to be really vigilant because that woman will do whatever it takes to win this case"

"And if she does...mom will win custody of me" Clarke concludes, "I don't want to be separated from you" she turns her gaze at her father.

"I'm not the only thing you need to be worried about. If your mom wins, it means-"

 _"Lexa"_ Clarke finishes for him, "she won't allow me to see her anymore" her eyes widen as she comes to that conclusion, "no, no, I can't lose Lexa"

"And you won't" Jake brushes a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "I will personally make sure of that"

Clarke snuggles closer to her dad, her head resting on his chest as she wills her tears not to fall.

"What are we going to do?" Clarke asks quietly.

"I'll call one of my friends who's a lawyer" he tells her, "your mom isn't the only one who has good connections" he smirks slightly, "it'll be alright" he squeezes her shoulder.

Clarke nods against his shoulder, silently praying that he's right about that.

 

 

 


	15. Does the end really justify the means?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is slightly longer than usual because I know it will be hard for me to update next week seeing as my exams start on June 7th and end on June 20th. On top of it, my math exam is on June 12th so I will most likely be studying all weekend. I apologize in advance if there are no updates next week. I'll try my best to get one out but I cannot make any promises

 

Lexa's brows furrow when she enters a quiet house. She has become used to the sound of Clarke's laughter filling her ears as Jake picks the blonde up and spins her in the air. She understands the silence when she enters the living room and sees Clarke and her father sleeping on the couch, Jake's arm slung over the blonde's shoulder. Her lips pull into a smile and she decides to let them have some rest, opting to go upstairs alone instead.

She sits at Clarke's desk and throws her arms behind her, stretching her sore muscles from the effort she just exerted. She smiles as she thinks of how nice it felt to spend time with Anya again. She kind of sees the older girl as an older sister and quite frankly, she had missed training with her. She knows Anya likes her at least a little although the girl keeps denying it.

She rummages through her bag and pulls out her glasses. She doesn't wear them often because she thinks she looks stupid with them but Clarke is sleeping downstairs at the moment and she is beginning to have a headache from having to squint her eyes in order to see perfectly. She blinks a few times to adjust her eyes to the glasses, not having worn them in a while. Just as she thought, her vision hasn't gotten worse and the glasses do not need any adjustment. She pulls out her notebook and gets a start on her homework, already planning to help Clarke with hers later.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

Lexa's head turns to the side when she hears a small squeal coming from the threshold. Clarke is standing there, a hand covering her mouth, eyes bright. Lexa's eyes widen ever so slightly and she moves to take off her glasses but Clarke strides across the room to stop her, "no, wait" she wraps her fingers around Lexa's wrist.

The blonde bends slightly and pushes the glasses up Lexa's nose.

"You're so adorable!" Clarke gushes, climbing on Lexa's lap before pinching the girl's cheeks affectionately.

Lexa blushes heavily but doesn't try to push Clarke away, "I look stupid"

"What? No! You look cute" Clarke argues, "you should put them on more often" she cups Lexa's cheeks and brushes her thumbs over them as she gazes fondly at the brunette.

"You really think it looks good on me?"

"Why would I lie?"

"To make me happy?" Lexa shrugs.

"I could but that's not the case" Clarke says, "you're literally so fucking adorable right now. I want to hug you forever"

Lexa grins, "yeah?" she cocks an eyebrow, "what are you waiting for?" she boldly challenges.

Clarke's eyebrows shoot up to her hairline and a pleased smirk draws itself on his face, "confident much?" she playfully says before wrapping her arms around Lexa, squeezing her tightly.

"Clarke, if you choke me, you won't get to see me with glasses again" Lexa chuckles, a bit out of breath due to the tight hold Clarke has on her.

"Does this mean you'll wear them again?" hope laces the blonde's words.

Lexa nods, "for you, I will"

Clarke's heart leaps in her chest and she slightly pulls away, a huge smile gracing her features. She connects her lips to Lexa's and lets out a hum when the brunette wraps her arms tightly around her waist. They both pour all their love into the kiss.

At the moment of changing the angle of the kiss, Clarke bumps her nose against the rim of Lexa's glasses. She pulls away and lets out a light chuckle.

"Still want me to wear them?" Lexa raises an eyebrow.

"Without a doubt" Clarke smiles, leaning down to capture Lexa's lips once more in a brief, sweet kiss.

She pushes the brunette's glasses up her nose then turns to look at the pages scattered on the desk.

"What's that?" she gestures at it.

"Our physics homework" Lexa smirks, already knowing what Clarke's reaction will be, "and before you groan and start complaining" she says, raising a hand, "I already finished it and I'll help you do yours"

"You'll let me copy your answers?" Clarke's face lights up.

Lexa laughs and shakes her head, "I will help you but you should do it mostly on your own as a practice for the upcoming exam"

Clarke's head drops on Lexa's shoulders, "fine" she mumbles against the fabric of the brunette's shirt, "can you hand me my notebook?"

"It's only two feet away from you" Lexa points out but picks up the girl's bag anyway, rummaging through it to find the required item.

"Yes but I have a wonderful girlfriend who will gladly pick it up for me" Clarke grins as she accepts the handed notebook, "thanks, babe" she pecks Lexa's lips.

"You're lucky I can't refuse you anything" Lexa sighs as she takes a look at Clarke's messy notes.

"I guess I am pretty lucky" Clarke gazes softly at her girlfriend while the latter's eyebrows scrunch up in concentration.

"You have such a messy handwriting" Lexa comments, squinting her eyes.

"Well, thanks. I do my best" Clarke smiles cheekily. She yelps when Lexa pinches her sides before telling her to focus.

"Alright, let's begin" the brunette claps her hands together once.

"Can we make this a bit more fun?"

"I don't see how you can make physics more _'fun'_ but sure" Lexa shrugs.

"If the answer I get matches the one you got, you take off a piece of clothing"

Lexa chokes on her saliva and coughs loudly before regaining control of herself, "w-what happens if you don't get it right?" she asks as she grabs her water bottle to get rid of the sudden burning in her throat.

"I get rid of a piece of clothing" Clarke shrugs as though it was obvious.

The mental image of Clarke half-naked has Lexa spit out her water, eyes darkening.

The blonde laughs and rubs her back, "you okay there?" she teasingly asks.

"I'm good" Lexa swallows heavily, "shall we, then?" she clears her throat and points at the homework.

"Wait" Clarke puts a hand on Lexa's torso, "you agree with this?" her smile grows.

Lexa shrugs, "why not" she quietly says.

Seven minutes later, Clarke shows her final result to Lexa. The brunette checks on her own sheet of paper and groans. The two answers are identical, meaning Clarke definitely got the right answer. Clarke watches as Lexa unbuttons her shirt and takes it off, leaving her in a white tank top. The blonde's eyes rake appreciatively over the girl's figure, nearly moaning when she notices that she can catch sight of Lexa's well-defined abs through the thin fabric of her shirt.

She gets back to work to Lexa's request and soon enough she has completed the second exercise. The brunette has to admit, the blonde is doing way better at this than she expected. Maybe it is what they call the lure of profit. Two exercises, two correct answers. Lexa reassures herself by telling herself that the first exercises are always the easiest ones. She looks down at herself and curses herself for taking off her socks earlier. She could have used it as an item of clothing. She undoes the button of her jeans, pulls the zipper down, then tugs it down her slim legs.

"You're so hot" Clarke breathes out.

"Focus, Clarke"

"Easier said than done" the blonde mumbles as she turns her attention back to her homework. This time, Lexa's relieved to see that the answer isn't the correct one. She slowly explains how to do it to the blonde.

She gulps as Clarke slowly pulls her shirt over her head, leaving her in a black bra that has Lexa's mind stray to some not so innocent scenarios.

"So...uhm" Lexa clears her throat, trying to keep her eyes from dropping to Clarke's chest, "next question" her voice takes on a slightly higher pitch.

Clarke chuckles and grabs her pen again to resume her homework. She gets the next one right and Lexa now has to get rid of her shirt. She crosses her arms in front of her chest, feeling exposed.

Clarke frowns and grabs her forearms to gently pull them away from the girl's body, "why are you hiding yourself? You're beautiful" she says as she gazes into emerald eyes.

"You too" Lexa smiles and Clarke can't help but reciprocate because for once, Lexa hasn't tried to refute the claim that she's beautiful. **_This is definitely progress,_** Clarke thinks with a small smile.

"If you don't want to play this game, it's okay. We can stop" Clarke assures her.

Lexa shakes her head, "no, it's okay. This is...kind of fun" she says after a few seconds of hesitation.

"Alright next exercise" Clarke announces as she picks her pen back up and sets on finishing the fourth exercise of their worksheet.

"You won't get that one right" Lexa states confidently, "even I struggled to understand it"

"Well, I hope for you I don't cause you would have to take off either your bra or your underwear" Clarke smirks.

Lexa breathes a sigh of relief when she sees that Clarke's answer is wrong. She once again shows Clarke where it went wrong.

Clarke takes off her pants, leaving her as clothed as Lexa which means not much. Lexa's about to prompt her to do the next exercise when Clarke throws her notebook aside and climbs on her lap, their bare skin brushing against one another.

"What are y-"

The end of her question dies in her throat as Clarke's lips crash into hers in a passion-filled kiss. Lexa moans and her hands travel up the blonde's body to caress the smooth expanse of her back. Clarke moves her lips to her neck and nips eagerly at the brunette's pulsepoint. She moves higher up Lexa's neck and her lips close around the lobe of Lexa's ear, having found out a few days ago during a hot makeout session that it was one of the brunette's weak spots.

"Clarke..." Lexa whimpers softly, short nails scrapping lightly at the girl's back as her eyes fall shut. The blonde hums against her skin, sending vibrations through her whole body.

She moves a hand behind Clarke's neck and gently redirect the girl's lips on her own. Clarke's hands slide around Lexa's body until they find the clasp of Lexa's bra. Lexa's eyes open and she puts a bit more distance between them while still remaining very close to each other, "wait" she says through her ragged breathing.

"Did I do something wrong?" Clarke quickly pulls her hands away, "I'm sorry"

Lexa shakes her head, "no, you did nothing wrong" she reassures her girlfriend, "it's just that...well, your dad is here. And maybe your mom too and you're not exactly the quietest in bed" she murmurs, "which isn't a bad thing" she adds when Clarke gasps in protest, "I like it" she whispers.

Clarke smirks and nods, pecking Lexa's lips. The brunette takes off her glasses and Clarke lets out an embarrassing whine, "nooo" she murmurs, "I like them"

Lexa chuckles, "I can't keep them on forever just because you like them"

"You could" Clarke shrugs, smiling.

"Yeah but-"

The door is suddenly pulled open and they jump apart, uselessly covering their almost bare bodies with their arms as they stare at Jake in a mixture of shock and apprehension.

"I-I'm sorry" Jake says as he quickly shuts the door, "I didn't know!" he shouts from the other side of the door, "sorry if I just cockblocked you. I just wanted to speak with you two for a bit but I'll come back later if you want" his smile can be heard through his voice.

Lexa turns a deep shade of red while Clarke buries her head in her hands, slightly mortified that he caught them in a compromising situation, though she is once again amazed at how cool of a dad her father is. She would have expected him to be at least a tiny bit angry but instead, the man is cracking jokes, as usual.

"Are you decent?" he laughs lightly.

They both quickly put on their clothes before yelling out _'yes'_

Jake reenters the room, one hand clasped over his eyes, "if I retract my hand, will I regret it?" he grins.

"No, dad" Clarke rolls her eyes. Lexa tries to make herself as little as possible, pulling her legs against her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

Jake peeks through his hand before letting it drop to his side, "well, hello" he wiggles his eyebrows and Lexa feels more and more like being swallowed by the earth wouldn't be so bad. Jake laughs at her obvious embarrassement. He steps closer and wraps an arm around the brunette's shoulder, "you know, this doesn't have to be awkward" he whispers in her ear.

"Are you going to kill me?" she says quietly, fearfully looking up at the man.

Clarke smiles a bit at how deeply anxious the girl seems to be. As for Jake, he lets out a loud laugh and squeezes Lexa's arm, "of course not" he reassures her, "you two are old enough to make your own decisions and yes, I'm a bit sad that my daughter's growing up so fast but if someone deserves her, it's you. Just please, don't do the nasty while I'm around" he pleads though his smile is still firmly in place.

"We weren't-" Clarke stops speaking, knowing it is useless to go into a debate, "we won't" she says instead.

"Anyway, as much as I enjoy witnessing Lexa's face turn fifty shades of red," Lexa groans, both out of embarrassement and because of how that sentence reminds her of the mistake she made in the past of reading a part of that horrendous book, "I need to talk to you both about something serious"

They both nod slowly, apprehending the words that are about to come out of the man's mouth.

"Clarke already knows and I'm guessing she told you too" Jake speaks to Lexa, "Abby and I are getting a divorce" he announces, "she wants to take it to court to try and win Clarke's custody"

Lexa's eyes jump to her girlfriend with concern, "but...if she.."

"Yes" Jake confirms, "I have already called a friend of mine who's a lawyer as I believe she did as well. My friend will be representing us in the event of a trial"

Lexa nods, taking in the information. Her hands play with a loose strand of her pants as she listens intently to what the man has to say.

"Until the procedure is completed, Abby has every right to stay in this house" he explains, "but I don't want you to have to bear this on top of the stress of your upcoming exams. I'm seriously sorry to put you in this situation"

"It's okay" Clarke quietly speaks, "what do you suggest?"

"Remember that house not far from here we sometimes went to for summer holidays when you were little?" Clarke nods, "I bought it a few years ago and I was thinking that we could live there for a little while, just the three of us. What do you think?"

Clarke's face lights up and she nods eagerly, "I would love to" she turns to Lexa, "if you want that too, that is"

Lexa nods, "thank you" she addresses those words to Clarke's father.

"No need to thank me, kiddo. I would do anything for you both" he ruffles her hair and for once, she doesn't try to rearrange it. She just throws herself into the man's arms.

He hugs her back, a grin taking over his features as he rubs one hand up and down her back, "thank you" Lexa whispers again. He nods and winks at Clarke when he catches the girl staring fondly at them. Clarke mouthes a _'thank you'_ followed by an _'I love_ _you'_

Jake smiles, "I love you both very much" he tells them while still holding Lexa in his arms, "is it okay if we leave in three hours? Would that give you enough time to get ready?"

"Yes" Clarke nods, "we'll be ready" she drops a kiss on her father's cheek and joins in on the hug he was sharing with Lexa.

Jake leaves the room after a couple more minutes and Clarke and Lexa crash onto the bed, arms coming to wrap around each other almost instantly. Lexa lets out a deep sigh.

"My mom won't win" Clarke states firmly, to reassure Lexa but also, in a way, to reassure herself.

"I don't want to lose you" Lexa murmurs vulnerably, "I can't-" her bottom lip starts trembling ever so sligthtly, "I can't lose you"

Clarke tightens the embrace, cradling the brunette in her arms, "you won't lose me" she whispers, "ever" she adds.

Lexa nods, "we should pack our bags" she says but makes no move to get up.

Clarke hums in acknowledgment and forces herself to rise from the bed and go into her wardrobe to gather clothes and everything she'll need. Before doing so, she turns to Lexa and smiles softly, "I love you" she murmurs, loving the way Lexa's whole face always softens upon hearing the words.

"I love you too" Lexa replies with a shy smile, cheeks slightly pink.

Clarke grins and pecks her lips, "come on, let's get ready"

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

Two hours and twenty-five minutes later, they are loading their suitcases into the trunk. Abby's watching them from the window of the bathroom on the first floor.

"You're making a mistake, Jacob" she shouts.

"Actually, I don't think I've ever been more right to do anything in my life" he counters, "unless you come around and back away from your wish to take this to court, I'll live with the girls in my other house"

Abby meekly huffs and closes the window with a loud slam, startling Lexa who was leaning quietly against the car's back door.

"You good?" Clarke asks, gently wrapping her arms around Lexa's neck.

Lexa's hands come to rest on Clarke's hips as she nods, humming, a small smile drawn on her lips.

"I'm glad" Clarke smiles back, leaving a chaste kiss on plump lips, "let's go" she intertwines their fingers and leads the brunette to her car. They had previously agreed that Lexa and Clarke would be in the blonde's car while Jake would take his own. That way, both father and daughter would have access to a car of their own instead of sharing one which would be unconvenient.

Clarke puts her left hand on the wheel while holding Lexa's hand with her right one. As she drives through the small streets leading to the highway, she brings their linked hands to her mouth and repeatedly kisses Lexa's knuckles, drawing light giggles from the brunette.

"Clarke, eyes on the road" Lexa chastises when she catches the blonde furtively glancing at her.

"Well, can you stop being distracting?" Clarke says though she diverts her eyes back ahead.

"I'm afraid this is beyond my abilities" Lexa quips, smirking slightly.

"Confidence looks good on you" Clarke hums.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

Lexa picks up hers and Clarke's suitcase, carrying them up the short driveway to the house.

"You don't have to carry my suitcase, you know" Clarke says.

"I know" Lexa shrugs, "but I want to" she turns her head to smile warmly at Clarke over her shoulder.

The house isn't as big as their other one and that fact alone makes Lexa feel more at ease. The facade is white and the driveway is surrounded by various kind of plants and flowers which Lexa finds beautiful. The roof isn't flat like the one in their other house, making it look a bit more like a normal house.

As they enter, Lexa immediately notices that it feels way more homey than the other did. The walls are painted in a light brown that matches the color of most of the furniture which is a darker shade of brown. The kitchen can be seen from the living room, walls painted in a pale yellow.

Lexa walks further into the house and breathes out a contented sigh. She feels familiar arms wrap around her middle from behind and her body relaxes into the embrace.

"You like it?" Clarke whispers in her ear.

"It's perfect" Lexa says, "it feels like home" she adds.

Clarke hums, "that's how I've always felt about this place" she says, "I would always harass my dad for days on end so we could go back here every summer"

"This is true" Jake confirms as he too walks into the house and drops his bag by the entry, "welcome home" he smiles brightly.

"It's a very beautiful house" Lexa states.

"I think so too" Jake smiles, "if I could, I'd live here forever"

"Why can't you?"

That makes Jake stop, suddenly realizing nothing stops him from doing just that anymore, "I...well, I didn't because Abby kept expressing her distaste for it but I guess that now...we could live here" he concludes, "unless you don't want to" he turns to his daughter.

"I've always wanted to live here, dad" Clarke smiles, "it's just much more...it's home" she settles on that word.

"I agree" he grins, "why don't you girls get settled in while I make a few calls?" he tells them. Clarke nods and takes Lexa's hand in hers, leading her upstairs, to the room they would occupy.

"We have three bedrooms so...if you want your own bedroom, you can have it" Clarke says though her tone betrays that she'd rather have the brunette stay with her.

Lexa raises an eyebrow, "you want me to sleep in another room?" she asks. Clarke waits a few seconds before shaking her head, "good" Lexa says, "because I don't think I can sleep without you"

The brunette carries on unpacking as though those words didn't make Clarke's heart melt instantly.

"You can't sleep without me?" the blonde repeats the words, a smile etching itself on her features.

Lexa shrugs, blushing slightly, "I mean, because I don't want to sleep alone"

Clarke hums, clearly not buying it.

"Also I might like you a little" Lexa smiles as she says it.

"Only a little?" Clarke gasps, slapping Lexa's shoulder, "I'm offended. Here I thought you loved me"

Lexa giggles and steps closer to the blonde to leave a sweet kiss on her lips, "I do love you" she whispers against her lips.

"I love hearing you say that" Clarke smiles, "say it again"

Lexa laughs and obliges, "I love you"

"Again"

"I love you"

Clarke smiles widely, eyes dropping to Lexa's lips, "again"

"I lo-"

Clarke kisses her before Lexa can finish her sentence. A moan works its way up Lexa's throat and her arms come to circle the blonde's waist.

"I should say it more often" Lexa says between kisses.

"You should" Clarke agrees before capturing the brunette's lips in hers again.

Both fight for control of the kiss as Lexa steps closer, forcing Clarke to step backwards, her knees knocking against the edge of the bed before they fall onto it, legs tangled together and lips still joined. Lexa's hands dig into the mattress where she has put them on each side of Clarke's face in order to support her own weight as she kisses Clarke. It doesn't happen often but the blonde likes it a lot when Lexa takes control of the kiss. She threads a hand through brunette curls as Lexa's head dip to leave open-mouth kisses down her neck.

"Lex..."

"What?" the brunette raises her head to ask.

Clarke chuckles breathily, "nothing" she says, "just keep doing that"

Lexa nods and reattaches her lips to Clarke's neck, sucking lightly on it in a way that was sure to leave marks in the future. Neither of them cares.

A knock on the door makes them stop. Lexa raises her head from where it was buried in Clarke's neck, eyes wide as saucers.

Clarke laughs, "quick, get off me" she gently pushes the brunette away, "come in!" she then yells.

Jake's head peeks through the gap between the wall and the door, "hey" he smiles, "just checking to see if you like it here" he looks at Lexa. The brunette nods, "it's amazing. Thank you" she says earnestly.

"Good" he nods, "it's getting late so I'm going to head to bed"

"Goodnight" both girls say in unison before the door is closed once more.

Clarke grabs Lexa's hand and pulls her to her feet, "I have something I want to show you"

"Okay" Lexa says, following her, "um, Clarke" she clears her throat, "why are you walking to the window?"

"Do you trust me?" Clarke opens the window and dramatically outstretches her hand.

Lexa rolls her eyes, "I knew we shouldn't have watched Aladdin last week" she says, fighting to hold off her smile, "I trust you" she adds with an eye-roll, placing her hand in Clarke's.

The blonde moves through the window and grabs a ladder, which is fixed on the facade and which her father has built years ago, as per her request, to allow her access to the roof. She then lets go of Lexa's hand and climbs onto the ladder in one swift movement.

Lexa clasps a hand over her heart and breathes a sigh of reliefwhen she sees that Clarke is safe, "don't scare me like that!" she hisses, peeking her head through the window to look at Clarke. However, she blushes heavily when her gaze falls right on the blonde's backside as the girl is climbing the ladder. She chastises herself mentally and follows after Clarke, climbing the ladder as well.

She sits next to Clarke and looks at the sky which is still pretty clear despite how late it is. The blonde shakes her head and moves to settle between Lexa's legs, grabbing the brunette's arms to place them around her own middle, "just hold me" she whispers into the quiet of the night, finding comfort in the embrace. Lexa nods against blonde hair and does as told. The silence drags on for a few minutes until Clarke's arm rises and the blonde points at the sky, "it's starting" she whispers.

"What is?" Lexa furrows her brows.

"What I brought you here for" Clarke answers, "watching the sunset"

Lexa grins at this, glad to find out Clarke is just as much of a hopeless romantic as she is.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Clarke asks, turning her head to look at Lexa.

Lexa fixes her gaze on Clarke, "so beautiful" she smiles lovingly.

"You already used that line on me" Clarke points out.

"Well, is it working?" the brunette raises an eyebrow.

Clarke blushes and pecks her lips, "it is" she whispers before turning back towards the colorful sky, sighing contentedly when she feels Lexa's arms tighten their hold around her waist.

Lexa smirks in victory and drops her head to Clarke's shoulder, their cheeks touching as they witness the changing colors of the darkening sky.

"Thank you" Lexa murmurs.

"What for?"

"Everything"

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

Downstairs, Jake dials the number of his friend and trusted lawyer. It picks up after three rings.

"It's been a while" the voice on the other end says.

Jake sighs, "I know. I'm sorry for not calling more often and I might be abusing of your kindness as I say this but I really need a favor from you. A big one"

"What do you need?"

"I need you to represent me in a trial against my wife" he doesn't beat around the bush.

The line is silent for a few seconds.

"I'm listening"

And Jake reveals the whole story and what exactly he needs the lawyer to do.

"I'll see what I can do" the lawyer says.

"Thank you, Indra" Jake smiles, "you're the absolute best" he says before hanging up, dropping onto the couch heavily.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

"Wake up!" Jake yells into Clarke's ear, startling her awake.

"What the fuck, dad?" the blonde groans, pulling the blankets higher up hers and Lexa's body. How the brunette managed to sleep through this is a complete mistery to her.

"Is she seriously still asleep?" Jake asks, pointing at the brunette.

Clarke looks down and smiles at the girl currently snoring softly in her arms, "yeah" she chuckles.

"She's weird" Jake says.

"You're weird" Clarke counters, "you just yelled at me to get me to get up. Why can't you shake me awake like any normal person would do?"

"Cause it's not funny" Jake says as though it is obvious.

Clarke rolls her eyes, "you're such a child" she says through a smile.

"Breakfast is ready and you both have to go to school" Jake says, "I don't think it would look good for you to miss class when you have already gotten a week worth of detention"

Clarke ducks her head in shame as she scowls, "sorry about that" she whispers.

"Don't apologize" Jake says firmly, "he had it coming and next time, if the school doesn't take bigger measures, I'll personally make sure he understands not to harass Lexa again"

Clarke can tell those are not empty threats. She feels relieved to see that her father cares about Lexa's safety and well-being just as much as she does and that he doesn't blame her for punching Bellamy. Even better, he just offered to do something as well in case the boy keeps harassing Lexa.

"Thank you" Clarke smiles at him.

"Clarke, why are talking to yourself?" Lexa asks in a hoarse voice, eyes still closed as she snuggles closer to the blonde, face buried into the girl's neck.

"Lexa" Clarke softly says.

"Shhh"

Clarke chuckles, "I'm not talking to myself" Lexa meekly hums. "I'm talking to my dad" Clarke says and Lexa's eyes go comically wide.

Lexa rolls onto her back and smiles sheepishly at the man who smiles back, amused.

"Hey, Jake" she waves awkwardly.

"Hello, Lexa" he says through a barely contained laugh, "time for school" he pats her thigh before leaving the room.

"Can we skip school?" Lexa asks sleepily.

"I think this change of environment has had a very bad effect on you" Clarke teases, poking Lexa's ribs, "we're not skipping school"

Lexa pouts, arms crossed in front of her chest.

"As cute as you are, I will not change my mind" Clarke kisses her pout away.

Lexa gets an idea and traps a leg behind Clarke's knee to flip them over, the blonde now beneath her. She dips her head and captures Clarke's lips in hers, hoping to distract her enough for the blonde to forget her initial plan to get up. The fact she gets to kiss Clarke in the process is just a huge added bonus.

It seems like Clarke falls right into the brunette's trap. She brings both hands up to frame the girl's face as Lexa's thigh slips between her legs. Clarke grins against the brunette's lips. She pulls away briefly, "I know that" a kiss, "you're doing this" another kiss, "to distract me"

Lexa smiles against her lips, "are you complaining?"

Clarke shakes her head and starts sucking gently on Lexa's bottom lip, drawing a soft moan from the brunette. Her hands slip under Lexa's shirt and her fingers slide over the brunette's abs.

Lexa chuckles, "you really like them, huh?" she says through a smile.

Clarke hums, lips attaching themselves to Lexa's jaw, "I love them" she says, raking her nails down Lexa's stomach.

Lexa shudders at the touch and dips her head to kiss Clarke's neck, her lips sliding down to find their home on the girl's collarbone. She nips at it gently as she feels Clarke's hands sneak higher up her back.

"Clarke, get up!" Jake shouts as he barges into the room, immediately turning around to face the wall, _"not again!"_ he says.

Lexa blushes, "sorry" she squeaks out.

"It's fine" he smiles, "just get your lazy asses downstairs or you'll be late for school" he points a finger at Clarke, "do not even think of skipping classes"

Clarke gasps and her eyes widen, "I wasn't the one who emitted the idea" she has no shame in putting all the blame on Lexa. **_Every man for himself,_** she thinks amusedly.

Lexa fixes her with a betrayed expression, _"traitor"_ the brunette mutters under her breath.

"I am highly disappointed in you"

Although Jake said it as a joke, Lexa takes it literally and her face falls, a sad frown overtaking her features.

"Oh...I'm sorry" she mumbles, "I didn't meant to-"

"Hold on, hold on" Jake sits on the bed, "I'm not mad, kiddo" he softly says, his hand over her thigh, "god, I could never be mad at you"

Lexa looks up, "you're not mad?" she asks in a heartbreakingly quiet voice that has both Clarke's and Jake's heart shattering. Clarke takes Lexa's hand in hers, brushing a thumb over the brunette's knuckles while Jake squeezes the girl's thigh.

"Of course not" he says in a gentle voice, "actually, I'm convinced there's nothing you could ever do that could make me stop loving you" he says, "unless you deeply hurt Clarke, of course" he adds, knowing how unlikely it is to ever happen.

"I would never hurt her, I swear" Lexa hurries to say, a lump forming in her throat which she tries really hard to get rid of to no avail.

"I know, kiddo" he ruffles her hair, "I know" he repeats before opening his arms, "come here" he whispers.

Lexa hesitates. Jake simply smiles and keeps his arms open until the brunette slowly curls into them, breathing a sigh of relief when Jake's strong arms close around her. A tear escapes her eye as she realizes how different her life would have been if she had had a father like Jake. Maybe she wouldn't be so insecure now if she had had a loving father who would soothe her pain, encourage her to be better and never stop believing in her no matter what. She craves that. She might not have realized it until now but she strongly needs a parental figure in her life.

"I'm so glad we found you, kiddo" Jake holds her close, moving a hand to the brunette's hair, resting it behind the girl's head.

Lexa doesn't notice she's crying until a hiccup wracks through her trembling body, coming out as a strangled whimper. Clarke watches, feeling powerless. She hates this feeling. She wishes more than anything that she could do something, anything to make her girlfriend's pain go away but although it being an honorable wish, she knows it to be impossible to accomplish. This battle against her old wounds is one Lexa has to fight alone for the most part and Clarke can only, at most, try to support her throughout it all, despite how badly she wants to be able to do more. She hates that Lexa's parents still have that much power over the brunette. It only took one misunderstood joke for memories to surge back inside Lexa's mind and Clarke knows it translates to a deep fear of being abandoned once again by people she loves.

Lexa had once confessed to her that despite all they've done to her, she still loved her parents. Clarke had immediately understood what she meant because she too still held a tiny bit of love for her own mother despite how despicable the woman could be. Now though, she wishes Lexa didn't care so much for her parents' because then, it would hurt less for the brunette to be reminisced of the moment they gave up on her, crushing the girl's heart in thousand pieces in the process. Moments like this one are the ones that show Clarke that, no matter how happy Lexa looks around them, she still carries a huge emotional bagage and it's inevitable for her to break down from time to time.

If you asked Clarke, she'd tell you Lexa's the strongest person she's ever met. Not strong as in she has muscles _-though she does (and Clarke would go on a lengthy rant about those abs if anyone ever asked)-_ but in the way the brunette is still standing after life has deceived her time and time again. Lexa refuses to let it ruin her shot at happiness and Clarke thinks it to be beautiful. She just thinks Lexa's beautiful. In every sense of the word. If anyone deserves to be happy, it's her.

As soon as Jake pulls away from Lexa, Clarke throws herself into the brunette's arms with such force that Lexa falls onto her back on the mattress, letting out a watery chuckle that has Clarke's chest fluttering.

Jake smiles at the interaction, "you really do need to go to school, though" he says after a few minutes.

Clarke groans, "daaad...you ruined the moment" she whines.

Jake shrugs with a grin and leaves the room, not before leaving one last kiss on Lexa's forehead and ruffling her hair like he has taken the habit of doing each time he leaves the room. Lexa doesn't grumble. She doesn't put her hair back into place. She simply smiles at the man's figure before gathering the courage to pronounce the next words, "I love you, Jake"

The man stops at the threshold and turns away, tears in his eyes, "I love you too, Lexa" he replies in a voice unusually filled with thick emotion before closing the door behind him.

"I bummed the mood" Lexa sighs, "I'm sorry"

Clarke stops moving and looks up at Lexa from where her body is still tightly pressed against Lexa's, head resting over the brunette's heart, "don't apologize" she murmurs, pressing a small kiss right under Lexa's ear, causing the brunette to shudder.

Lexa nods and tries to move from under Clarke but fails, "Clarke" she giggles, "we have to get changed for school, get off me"

"Make me" Clarke challenges.

Lexa raises an eyebrow and flips them over, ending up straddling Clarke as she smiles down smugly at the blonde.

"I hate how easy this is for you" Clarke huffs, though she cannot deny how aroused she gets each time Lexa does it.

Lexa smirks and rises from the bed as she quickly wipes the slim remainder of her tears. She feels two arms wrap around her waist as Clarke hugs her from behind and she relaxes into the embrace, sighing contentedly.

Clarke turns Lexa around and softly brushes her nose against the girl's before tilting her head up to press a kiss to the tip of Lexa's nose, "I love you" she whispers just because she can.

Lexa's lips form a smile as she answers, "I love you too" she lets her arms drop on Clarke's shoulders to wrap around her neck.

"We need to be at school in less than thirty minutes. I have a feeling we're going to be late" Clarke leans her forehead against Lexa's.

Lexa jumps away, "no, we're not" she quickly says, rummaging through Clarke's unpacked suitcase to find clothes to put on.

She throws a grey shirt at Clarke's face as well as some black pants and grabs a black bra. She blushes heavily when she realizes it is a _lacy_ black bra. Clarke's eyes widen slightly when she sees Lexa holding the item up between her thumb and index, "oh...that's not- it's- well..." she flushes red and takes the bra out of Lexa's hand, hiding it behind her.

Lexa's eyes are dark and her mouth slightly agape as she tries to stop the mental images of Clarke in that bra that surge up inside her mind. A shirt falls into her vision as it is thrown at her face by the blonde and she snaps out of her reverie to pull her pajama shirt over her head and put this one on instead.

"Can we forget you just saw this bra?" Clarke asks.

Lexa nods though she sure won't forget about it anytime soon. If anything, it'll probably be the only thing coursing through her mind for the next few days.

"Already forgotten" she lies, looking away.

"You're lying" Clarke accuses.

"How...how did you-"

"You have a tell" Clarke says, "you always look a bit to your left when you're lying"

Lexa stays silent. She had never noticed she was doing such thing but now that Clarke mentions it, she comes to the realization that yes, she does have a tell. She's pleasantly surprised to learn that Clarke pays that much attention to her.

"It's a nice bra" Lexa defends herself in a mumble.

Clarke raises her left eyebrow, "you think?" she asks for confirmation, "I didn't buy it for...that, just so you know" Clarke chuckles nervously, "I mean...I kind of bought it for that but not really. It was just really pretty and I felt good while wearing it and then I thought you'd like me in it too maybe and-"

"You bought it...to make me happy?" Lexa's eyes snap up and a blush graces her cheeks as her eyes connect with Clarke's.

"....kind of?" Clarke hesitantly replies, "I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable...I just...I noticed how much time you spent staring at my chest on our first date"

Lexa scowls in shame, "sorry..." she murmurs, feeling bad for acting like such a perv even though she was trying really hard not to.

"It's actually kind of flattering" Clarke shrugs, "you don't look at it in an objectifying way" she clarifies when Lexa looks at her confusedly, head tilted to the side. The blonde laughs lightly, "you kind of look at it as if it was the eighth wonder of the world"

Lexa blushes, "it should be" she mumbles, eyes drifting to Clarke's clothed chest on their own accord before she catches herself and tears her gaze away from it.

Her eyes fly to the ceiling when Clarke pulls her shirt over her head to put on the grey one Lexa has randomly picked for her. Clarke giggles, "you can look, baby" she smirks, "you're my girlfriend, you know"

Lexa nods, eyes still fixed on the ceiling, "I know" she murmurs, "but I don't want to make you uncomfortable or anything like that.."

"You've seen me naked" Clarke blurts out and Lexa nearly chokes on her saliva.

"God, Clarke" she coughs, "don't say things like that!"

"Why not? Are you flustered by the mental image you have of me naked?" Clarke taunts, "cause you could see the real thing. You just have to ask"

"Jesus" Lexa says quietly, trying her best to ignore the heat shooting straight to her center at those words. Clarke smirks and steps closer, shoving Lexa lightly to get the brunette to sit on the bed. She then climbs onto the brunette's lap, arms around the girl's neck as she leans closer to whisper in her ear, "do you want this?" she blows a breath of air onto Lexa's ear, causing the girl to shudder with arousal.

"Fuck.." Lexa curses under her breath, "Clarke I...if you don't stop, we'll be late" she complains half-heartedly.

"Do you want me to stop?" Clarke whispers seductively, her hands slipping under Lexa's shirt to slide against the skin of her stomach.

"No...I mean, yes" Lexa answers, her foggy mind clouding her senses, "we should-"

Her words turn into a moan when Clarke leans forward and takes her earlobe in her mouth, sucking on it before tracing its outline with her tongue.

"Not fair" Lexa grunts, "you know my weakness but I don't know yours"

Clarke lets go of her earlobe and shifts her kisses to the brunette's jaw, "why don't you try and find out?" she murmurs between kisses.

Lexa feels tempted but she knows the clock is ticking, "I'd take you up on that offer if we didn't have to leave in..." she trails off to check her watch, "twenty minutes"

Clarke groans but ceases her feather-like kisses over Lexa's face, "fine" she grumbles before quickly finishing to get changed.

They head downstairs to have a quick breakfast before leaving the house, both kissing Jake's cheek on their way out.

"Have a nice day!" he shouts at them when they climb inside Clarke's car.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

Surprisingly, they make it in time and slip inside the classroom right before their teacher walks in. Lexa slumps on her seat and sighs in relief.

"See?" Clarke pokes her shoulder, "not late"

"We would have been if I hadn't stopped you" Lexa counters, smiling.

"Details" Clarke shrugs, grinning, "maybe tonight we can pick up where we left off?" she wiggles her eyebrows suggestively.

Unfortunately, she doesn't get to hear Lexa's reply immediately because the lesson starts and already, Lexa's jotting down notes incredibly fast as if her life depended on it.

"Yeah, maybe" is all the brunette says, smiling softly.

Clarke inches her hand closer to Lexa's and takes it in hers, brushing her thumb over the back of Lexa's hand as she too starts taking notes with her left hand, which is still available.

Clarke spaces out after about thirty minutes. She starts drawing an intricate design on the back of Lexa's hand, "we're going on a date tonight" she whispers as she slides her finger on the btunette's skin.

"Oh...I'd love to, truly but, er, I already scheduled a training session with Anya"

"Another one?" Clarke asks, surprised.

"She...well, she agreed to give me two lessons a week and we chose for them to be on Saturday and on Tuesday" Lexa explains, feeling slightly bad for not being available for the date, "I'll be home pretty late, I think...I'm sorry"

"It's okay" Clarke brushes off with a soft smile, "we can reschedule" she shrugs.

"Okay" Lexa nods, smiling as well.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

"I'm not sure I follow" Nia says as Abby finishes her explanation.

The woman sighs, "you don't have to pretend with me, Nia. I know you've done some shady things before to get what you want and you're not exactly the most honorable person there is"

"Strangely enough, I do not feel offended by that" Nia hums pensively.

"What I'm saying is that, if it comes down to it, I want you to use all means necessary to win this case" Abby instructs, "as long as Clarke remains safe" she adds, "no physical harm will be done to my daughter"

Nia smirks, "we have an agreement" she states, "as promised no physical harm will be caused to your daughter. Anything else that is off limits?"

"No" Abby says, "just don't get caught"

Nia scoffs, "I never get caught" she confidently says, "your trust in me is well placed. You needn't worry about that"

Abby nods and gets up, "I'll expect a full report of the advancement of your job. Do not even think of leaving me in the dark"

"You will be informed of everything. I can assure you that much" Nia nods, the smirk never leaving her face.

"Good" Abby says before walking up to the door and leaving Nia's office.

"Well, this should be fun" the lawyer says, grinning devilishely as she already plans out the way she will go about this.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

"You know, you don't have to wait for my detention to be over everytime" Clarke says as she intertwines their fingers.

"I know" Lexa hums, "but I want to" she smiles. Clarke smiles back and soon they are standing at the exit of the building.

"Well, enjoy your training with Anya" Clarke says before grabbing the back of Lexa's neck and pulling her in for a soft kiss, "I'll see you tonight" she whispers against plump lips before capturing them once more.

Lexa nods, "I love you" she quietly says, still getting acquainted with the feeling of letting go of all fears in order to fully expressed her feelings.

Clarke's smile widens, "I love you too" she pecks her lips, "now go or you'll be late"

Lexa nods and turns around. With one last look over her shoulder, she disappears behind the corner of the street. The blonde starts the walk towards her house.

Clarke frowns when, after a couple minutes, she feels a light tap on her shoulder and turns around only to be met with a woman she hoped she would never have to see again.

_"Nia Queen"_ she says through gritted teeth.

"I see that you remember me" Nia smirks, "how flattering"

"There is nothing flattering in the way I remember you" Clarke snarls, "I don't know what you're here for but I don't want to listen to any of your bullshit. Bye" she tries to move past the woman but the latter grabs her arm.

"You're not going anywhere until we have a little chat you and I"

Clarke yanks her arm away from the woman's grip and rolls her eyes, "we both know my mother is the one sending you. You two have always been dipping into shady business together"

"I have an offer-" Nia ignores her.

"I don't want to hear it" Clarke cuts her off, ready to turn around.

"You really think you will win this thing, then?" Nia calls for her, a confident smirk still plastered on her features.

"I know I will" Clarke points an angry finger at her, "you cannot do anything to make me stay with my mom. I'm seventeen which means I will get to choose who I want to stay with and it sure as hell won't be my mom"

"See, I think that's where you're wrong"

Clarke scoffs, "yeah right, cause you obviously know me"

"I do not need to personally know you to see what you care about. Or should I say _who_ you care about"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Clarke's features harden as she steps closer to the woman.

Nia stands her ground, "what's the name of that girl again? Alexa? Or is it Alexis?" she questions then snaps her fingers, _"Lexa"_

Clarke shivers at the way the woman pronounces her girlfriend's name, "Leave her out of this"

"She seems really lovely and oh so innocent" Nia says in faux kindness, "it would be a shame if something unfortunate was to happen to her"

Clarke's throat bops as she swallows heavily, "is that a threat?" she asks dangerously low.

Nia shrugs, "it is merely an observation. One that I would take into consideration if I were you"

Clarke clenches her fists and tries to calm herself, not wanting to cause a scene. She steps even closer.

"If you touch a single hair on her body, I swear-"

"No need to get all agressive on me" Nia interjects, readjusting her bag on her shoulder, "I came to have a calm chat about your little girlfriend. Where is she now, anyway? I hope for you she isn't alone. A lot of things could happen to her while she doesn't have you around to protect her"

Clarke's eyes widen, "what did you do?" she asks, her worries growing by the second.

"Why don't you go and find out?" Nia speaks, "I hope for you it isn't too late"

"You bitch, I swear _\- fuck"_ she says, turning around to set off on a run down the street, hoping to catch up with Lexa before anything can happen to the girl.

Her lungs are burning and tears are pricking at the corner of her eyes as she runs unrelentedly. To anyone else, it might have seemed like her reaction was irrational or exaggerated but she knows, from having seen it happen before, that Nia Queen will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

She sees Lexa on the other side of the road, ready to enter the gym, _"LEXA!"_ she yells before running the few meters separating them and throwing herself at the brunette, arms tightly wrapped around the girl's shoulders. Her whole body relaxes as soon as she's holding the visibly unharmed girl in her arms.

"Clarke?" Lexa frowns and brings her arms to circle around the blonde's waist, "what are you doing here?"

Clarke pulls away and cups the brunette's cheeks, "you're okay" she says, mostly to reassure herself that, indeed, Lexa's safe and sound.

Lexa notices the tears in the corner of Clarke's eyes and her concern grows, "of course I'm okay. _Are you?"_ she tilts her head to the side.

Clarke snifles and buries her face inside the crook of Lexa's neck before nodding, "I'm fine" she clutches the brunette's shirt tightly with her fists.

"You don't look fine" Lexa softly says, "what happened?" she gently asks, her right hand moving to stroke Clarke's hair.

The blonde pulls away and her hands once again fly to frame Lexa's face. She inhales shakily and leans her forehead against the brunette's before speaking quietly, "Nia Queen" is all she says.

"Okay...who's that again?"

"A woman my mom has worked with a few times. She's a lawyer, a shady one" Clarke supplies.

"What did she do?" Lexa asks, dropping a hand to Clarke's hip.

"She...she threatened to hurt you and I just- I didn't- I can't believe she would do something like that"

"Who? Nia?"

Clarke shakes her head, "my mom"

Lexa frowns, "your mom threatened to hurt me?"

Clarke shakes her head once more and pulls away, running a hand through her hair, "Nia did but I just know my mom is the one who hired her and she's probably behind this and I can't believe she would even consider such thing. I mean, I knew she was far from perfect but I didn't think she'd stoop so low" words are quickly rolling off Clarke's tongue as she speaks, her breaths coming in short and she paces anxiously in the street.

"Calm down, Clarke" Lexa grabs her shoulders to immobilize the girl, "I'm okay. See? Nothing happened to me" she gestures at herself.

"No" Clarke shakes her head quickly, "no, she said something would happen to you-"

"She lied" Lexa says calmly, "she lied to scare you. I'm okay and nothing's going to happen to you"

"I don't think she lied" Clarke says worriedly, "she isn't the kind of person to make empty threats. There must be something we're miss-"

Just then her eyes catch sight of a man in a black coat who's watching them from afar. His face is slightly hidden by a big hat. Lexa turns around when she sees Clarke's eyes aren't on hers anymore but rather on something behind her and that's when she sees him too.

The man stares at them for a good ten seconds before pulling out his phone and turning around, heading in the opposite direction.

"I'm not imagining this, am I?" Clarke asks, glancing at Lexa who's frozen on her spot.

Her phone rings and she fishes it out of her pocket. _Unknown number._ She hesitantly picks up and puts the phone on speaker so Lexa can hear.

"Hello?" Clarke says.

_"Hello, Clarke"_ Nia's smirk can be heard through her voice which sends a shiver of fear down Clarke's spine, _"now you know not to mess with me. Next time, your little girlfriend won't be as lucky"_

"I will fucking end you" Clarke spits through the phone.

Nia lets out a sadistic laugh before speaking again, _"I'd love to see you try"_ she says, _"oh, and if I were you, I wouldn't stay in the area you're in right now. We wouldn't want the man from earlier to come back"_

"Come say that to my face" Clarke starts but the call is cut off before she finishes her sentence. She is tempted to throw her phone on the ground but refrains from doing so. She feels a tug on her sleeve and turns to see a scared-looking Lexa.

"That...that was scary" Lexa admits, feeling a bit unsafe all of a sudden, "can we...I want to go home" she whispers quietly.

Clarke nods and both enter the building to warn Anya that the brunette can't be there for this lesson.

"Is everything okay?" Anya questions, finding the brunette a bit pale.

Lexa nods, "just a lot of homework" she lies.

Anya squints her eyes but nods nonetheless, "alright, well I guess I'll see you on Saturday then"

Lexa nods, "you will" she hurries out of the building and Clarke calls her father to pick them up seeing as she left her car in the school's parking lot in her rush to get to Lexa.

The man arrives about five minutes later and they climb inside the car, "is everything alright?" Jake asks.

"No" Clarke says, finding no reason to lie to her father about this seeing as he is just as involved as she is in the story, if not more, "Nia's been making threats again" she says.

Jake glances at her and slows the car a bit, "what?"

"She...she found me after class and made me understand that Lexa would be hurt if I didn't do what she and mom wanted"

Jake's hands start gripping the wheel tighter, "where is that woman now?" he asks through gritted teeth.

Clarke sighs, "I have no idea"

"Lexa?" Jake says, making her look up, "I promise you that we won't let her do anything to you"

"I know" Lexa says, "but what about you?"

"This woman has been a bother to my family long enough for me to understand the way she functions. She won't win this" he states confidently, "you'll both be safe. I'll make sure of this"

Once they're home, he kisses Lexa's temple as well as his daughter's cheek and waits for them to be upstairs to make a phone call.

_"Jake"_ Abby's voice comes through the phone.

"I don't know who you think you are to threaten Lexa but you won't get away with this"

_"I don't know what you're talking about"_ she plays dumb.

Jake scoffs, "yeah right. Nia Queen. Does the name ring any bells?"

Abby remains silent.

"If you, Nia or one of her people harm Lexa in any way, there will be hell to pay"

_"Jacob, would you please calm down and-"_

"No" he cuts her off, "trust me Abby, you and Nia will go down for this and when you do, don't try to beg for forgiveness or anything like that because you and me? We're over. As soon as the divorce is concluded and I get custody of Clarke, you're dead to me"

With that he hangs up and sighs, rubbing a hand on his face, wondering when exactly he lost his wife for good.

 

 


	16. Old friends and (not so) new foes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sincerely apologize for taking so long to update. My exams finish this Tuesday and apart from this weekend, I haven't had a moment of rest. That being said, I hope you'll enjoy the chapter despite how long it took me to post it

 

 

"Clarke?" Jake knocks on the door of her bedroom and enters when he gets the green light to do so, "I want to talk with you both"

Clarke nods and so does Lexa. Jake takes a deep breath before speaking once again, hands clasped together in his lap.

"I cannot condone what happened today" he starts, "at first, it was only about my divorce with Abby but it became more as soon as Nia started making threats. I want to take this further and try to bring her down"

"W-what do you mean?" Lexa asks, intrigued.

"I want to gather enough evidence to have the woman arrested for good. She is a danger to our society and I cannot fathom the fact that such an atrocious person can walk free and hurt whoever she wants" he explains, "but before I do anything, I need your approval"

"You have mine" Clarke says, not wanting a repeat of what happened earlier today.

"Mine too" Lexa says quietly.

Jake nods, "it's probably a lot to ask of you but I need you to give her a call and try to get as much incriminating information out of her as you can. We'll record it and hopefully, it'll be enough evidence to open a case" he tells Clarke.

The blonde nods and grabs her phone. She starts recording with an app Raven installed on her phone a few months ago. At the time she had thought it to be stupid but now, she makes a mental note to thank the latina girl. She then dials the number her father gives her, already knowing what to say to the woman to get what they need.

"Miss Griffin" the voice on the other end says in a tone that has Clarke's blood run cold, "to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You do not get to come to me and make threats" Clarke speaks through gritted teeth.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about" Nia smirks.

**_Fuck,_ ** Clarke thinks, **_this isn't going to be as easy as I thought._ **

"You're just a lying snake and you will get what's coming for you" Clarke snarls.

Nia laughs, "I'd love to see you try. You wouldn't even make it in time to save your little girlfriend if she was in danger and today was proof of that"

Clarke smiles, knowing she got the woman right where she wants her, "she was safe. I kept her safe"

Nia laughs again, "you _think_ you kept her safe. The only reason your girlfriend is still here and not in a hospital room is because I decided it would be more fun to see you sweat and panic for nothing"

"You...you won't get away with this" Clarke says.

"If I were you, I wouldn't try to come after me. Remember that man from earlier? Next time, he won't simply walk away" she threatens, "do not underestimate me"

The woman hangs up, leaving Clarke with a beaming smile, knowing she has gotten everything she wanted. **_For a lawyer, Nia's pretty stupid,_ ** Clarke thinks to herself.

"We got her" she announces proudly, showing the screen to her father where the recorded call is now downloaded to her phone. Jake throws an arm around her shoulders and smiles at her, "I'm proud of you, sweetie" he presses a kiss to her temple, "ever thought of becoming a cop?" he jokes.

She chuckles, "god no"

He laughs and transfers the recording onto his own phone before leaving the room, "we'll be alright" he softly says before closing the door.

He walks to his own bedroom and opens his computer, creating a copy of the recorded call just in case. He makes a mental note to stop by the police station on his way back from work tomorrow.

 

 

\----------------

 

 

"You really think we'll be able to stop her?" Lexa asks, head resting on Clarke's chest while the blonde plays with her hair.

Clarke hums, "I think so" she says, "the reason she's never been caught is because most people are too scared of her to do anything about it but this time, she won't get away with this"

Lexa hums, "I love you" she presses a kiss to the skin of Clarke's neck before placing her head back on her chest.

"I love you more" Clarke starts tracing a random pattern in the brunette's hair, earning a pleased hum.

It is quiet for a few minutes, a comfortable silence settling into the room which is broken by Clarke.

"I'm sorry you have to deal with all of this" she softly says.

Lexa raises her head to look at her, "it doesn't bother me. You helped me when I was at my lowest. It's only normal that I'm here for you when you're going through tough times" she shrugs, "that's what a relationship is about, right?"

Clarke cups one of her cheeks and connects their lips softly, "you're amazing, thank you"

Lexa smiles and pecks her lips before settling back against her, her hand moving to the blonde's hip to trace random patterns on her skin. They fall asleep pretty quickly after that, the adrenaline of the day wearing off on them.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

"You _threatened_ her?!" Abby hisses angrily as she enters Nia's office, not at all pleased with the way Nia went about this.

"You gave me the permission to do as I wished as long as Clarke remained unharmed" Nia counters.

"That doesn't mean you can go around doing illegal shit. You might not care about your reputation but I do and I can't have people think I would go as far as hurting a minor"

"Don't you hate that girl? Why does it matter to you what happens to her?"

Abby sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose, "because my daughter happens to care about that girl and I know how Clarke works. Threatening Lexa is the last thing you should do if you want Clarke to do as you wish"

"Well maybe you should have told me that yesterday before I went to meet her outside her school" Nia shrugged, completely unbothered by the woman's anger.

"You... _outside her school?_ Are you insane!?"

"It wasn't right in front of it. I'm not _that_ stupid" Nia rolls her eyes.

Abby shakes her head and goes to sit on the sofa, "I told you to inform me of the advancement of it"

"I'm informing you of it now" Nia shrugs, pulling out a file from underneath her desk, "seriously, why does it even matter? You called me because you know I get the job done"

"You can't just make threats. What would you have done if Clarke had said no which I'm sure she did?"

"I have a few men who would have gladly took care of it"

"You were planning on _killing_ Lexa!?" Abby rises from her seat.

"Relax, Abby" Nia rolls her eyes, "I was simply planning on them giving the brunette a little beating, make her understand who's in control"

Abby breathes deeply, "do _not._ question. my decisions" she enunciates slowly, "from now on, you will answer to my command and mine only. Is that clear?"

"You're in no position to make demands" Nia raises a pretentious eyebrow, "you need me"

Abby sighs, knowing she's right, "just don't do anything stupid"

"I never do anything stupid" Nia says, "I would think you'd know that by now"

Abby doesn't answer. She fixes the woman with a warning glare and storms off, slamming the door behind her, not at all pleased that Nia deliberately chose to leave her out of her plans. She knows it will only be harder now to convince Clarke to choose to stay with her.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

_Lexa skillfully thrusts two fingers inside Clarke, setting a fast pace that has the blonde moaning loudly._

_"..Lex..." she moans out._

_The brunette takes this as an encouragment and adds a finger, thrusting harder and faster. Clarke's hands fly to her shoulders as Lexa brings her closer to her orgasm._

_"Does this feel good?" Lexa whispers in her ear, "do you like this?"_

_"Right...there..." Clarke whimper._

_"Clarke" Lexa says firmly._

_The blonde opens her eyes and sees that Lexa's slowly fading away, replaced by a bright light._

 

Lexa looks up from her book when she feels Clarke stir next to her while small sounds escape the girl's lips. The brunette quickly identifies those sounds as moans and her eyes widen when she hears her name being called.

"..Lex..."

Lexa debates between waking the girl up or letting her continue her seemingly very good dream but opts for the former, thinking that, if she keeps hearing more of Clarke's sinful moans, she won't be able to think of anything else for the rest of the day. When she gets ready to do so, however, Clarke turns on her side and the blonde's hand drops on one of her boobs, squeezing it lightly while the blonde's hips buck slightly against her thigh. Lexa stops reading and quietly places the book on the nightstand.

"Right...there..." she hears behind her and freezes.

She tries to keep all sinful images out of her mind but fails miserably when yet another whimper leaves Clarke's mouth.

"Clarke" Lexa shakes the blonde awake and sees blue eyes slowly flutter open.

Confusion is written on the blonde's features until she realizes where she is and what just happened. Her eyes widen and she covers her blush with both hands on her face, _"oh my god"_ she mumbles, "I'm so sorry"

Lexa laughs nervously, "it's okay, Clarke" she tries to pry the blonde's hands away from Clarke's face but the girl keeps them firmly pressed against it.

_"It's embarrassing"_ Clarke mumbles against her hands.

Lexa chuckles a bit, "it's okay"

"Stop looking at me like that" Clarke whines.

"Like what?"

"....like you know exactly what my dream was about"

"I have a little idea..." Lexa smirks and laughs when she gets a slap on the shoulder, "that kinda hurt" she rubs her arm.

"Yeah well, you made fun of me" Clarke crosses her arms in front of her chest, "you're mean"

Lexa's eyes turn soft and she scoots closer to Clarke, "I'm sorry" she says, pressing a delicate kiss on the blonde's jaw.

Clarke hums, still not looking at her though Lexa can see how hard the girl is trying to suppress a smile.

"So...your dream.." Lexa trails off, tongue trapped between her teeth as she grins.

Clarke slaps her shoulder once more, "stop making fun of me!" she mumbles, "I'm mortified enough as it is"

Lexa smiles, "come here" she opens her arms and waits for Clarke to crawl inside them before speaking again, "I don't blame you. I'm pretty sexy" she says in a rush of confidence.

Clarke huffs but doesn't move, "I liked it better when you were shy"

"That's a lie" Lexa points out, remembering all the times Clarke has told her how much she loved seeing her be confident.

"I hate that you know me so well" Clarke grumbles.

"No, you don't" Lexa laugh.

"You're right, I don't" Clarke says, letting a smile of her own escape.

 

 

\---------------

 

 

Jake leaves his office hurriedly, shooting a small _'see you tomorrow'_ at one of his colleagues before hustling through the automatic doors of the building, completing the short walk to the police station.

He walks through the entrance and steps up to the receptionist, "hi I'm Jake Griffin, is officer Adams here?" he asks.

The receptonist nods once and points at a door on the far end of the hallway, "he should be in here. Do you want me to call him for you?"

Jake shakes his head, "it won't be necessary. He's a friend" he smiles, "thank you" he says before moving towards the aforementioned door. He pushes it open, not bothering to knock and slips inside, a huge grin plastered over his features.

Officer Adams, a tall and muscular bearded man, looks up and his lips break into a smile of his own, "Jakey!" he shouts, "what brings you here?" he gets up and envelops Jake in a quick hug.

"You know I hate when you call me that, Gus" Jake says with a smile, "anyway, I actually need your help"

Gustus clutches at his chest, "here I thought you came by because you missed me" he fake sobs.

Jake rolls his eyes, "don't be ridiculous. I never miss you" he jokes.

"Careful" Gustus warns, "if you want something from me, you might not want to offend me. Tread lightly my friend, tread lightly"

Jake laughs and takes a seat at Gustus' desk, followed by the man, "I need you to take a look at this" he hands him a flashdrive, "I need to know if this is enough to open a case"

Gustus frowns and dubiously takes the flashdrive, plugging it into his computer before opening the file. As he listens to it, he recognizes Clarke's voice instantly and it takes him longer but eventually, he identifies the other person as Nia Queen, famous lawyer who has more than once been rumoured to dip into shady business but no actual evidence were found to support those claims. This was real evidence.

"Who's the girl they're talking about?" Gustus questions.

"Lexa Woods" Jake says, "she's my daughter's girlfriend and lives with us" he informs the man.

"Why would Nia threaten her?"

Jake sighs, "me and Abby are getting divorced" he almost misses the small _'about time'_ Gustus lets out, "and she isn't too happy about it. I guess scaring Clarke is her way to obtain what she wants"

"And what is that?"

"Clarke's custody" Jake says.

Gustus nods, "this conversation is definitely a good base to open an investigation but if you're going to bring Nia Queen to justice, you'll need more than that" he tells Jake.

"I know" Jake nods, "that's why I need you to help me. Would you do that?"

Gustus smiles, "of course I would" he friendly smacks Jake's shoulder, "anything for my friend. Besides, I've been trying to catch this woman for so long"

They both get up and Gustus smacks Jake's shoulder once more, a big smile stretching his lips. "It's good to see you, man"

"Yeah" Jake smiles, "sorry for not stopping by more often"

Gustus waves his hand dismissively, "no worries. Though my daughter has been asking after you quite a few times" he laughs.

Jake smiles, "how about you come over for dinner with your wife and your daughter? Tonight maybe?" he suggests.

"We'd love to" the bearded man smiles, "we'll be there around seven" he says, pulling out his phone to shoot a text to his wife.

Jake leaves the flashdrive on the desk and hugs Gustus one more time before leaving the office, thanking her friend once again.

 

 

\---------------

 

 

He comes home to the sight of Lexa and Clarke throwing flour at each other around the house and smiles brightly, feeling happier than he has in years despite the pressure sitting on his shoulders due to the impending divorce. He puts his index over his lips in a hushing motion when Clarke catches his eyes and grabs a handful of flour before sneaking up on Lexa from behind. The girl lets out a squeal of surprise as the man smears the substance over her face.

"Nooo" Lexa says, wiping at her flour-covered cheeks while Clarke bursts in laughter a few feet away, _"Jaaaake"_ she whines.

He grins and pats her on the head. He then grabs more flour but Lexa quickly dodges it when he throws it, stepping a few feet away, a finger pointed at him in warning, "you do not want to do this"

Clarke takes advantage of Lexa's inattention to smear flour on her face, much like Jake did mere seconds ago.

Lexa lets out a noise of protest and turns around, brows furrowed, "it's not fair! You're ganging up on me" she points out.

Clarke shrugs and throws more flour her way while Jake goes into the kitchen to retrieve a water bottle. He comes back, opens the lid and squishes it, splashing Lexa who gasps as the cold water hits her skin. Her mouth is open as water drips down her hair, shirt soaked. The floor is covered in wet stains but no one cares. Clarke laughs at the look of pure offense on Lexa's face and the brunette playfully glares before walking into the kitchen, rummaging through the cupboards.

"Oh no" Clarke says when she sees her girlfriend come out of the kitchen with two bottles of whipped cream.

"Oh yes" Lexa smirks, aiming at both Jake and Clarke at the same time, "any last words?"

Jake and Clarke raise their hands in the air and the man raises an amused eyebrow, "Lexa Woods is a coward" he jokes.

Lexa squints her eyes and presses on the top of the bottle, sending whipped cream all over the man, giggling at the shriek he lets out.

Clarke raises an eyebrow when she sees that Lexa's still aiming at her as if to dare her to press her finger down on it. Lexa's eyes connect with Clarke's and she understands she'll regret doing ut if she spreads cream over her girlfriend. She doesn't underestimate her girlfriend's ability to hold off kissing her in the aformentioned case. She lowers her arm and Clarke's lips stretch into a satisfied smile. She grabs the back of Lexa's neck and kisses the brunette, smiling through it.

Jake scoffs as he slides his finger along his face, collecting cream on it before bringing it to his mouth, "Lexa's more whipped than this cream" he comments.

Lexa grabs the nearest object _-a pen-_ and throws it at the man who laughs as he rubs at his chest where it hit him. He then looks down at the floor and scowls a bit, "we should probably clean that" he motions to the mess they've made.

Clarke clears her throat, "yeah, about that...I just remembered we have a lot of homework for tomorrow so we're going to go.." Clarke trails off, grabbing Lexa's hand.

She sighs when she feels a hand on her shoulder and turns to see her father shake his head at her, "nice try" he says and she smiles sheepishly, "clean the floor while I prepare the dinner. We have guests tonight"

"We do?" Clarke is surprised by this. It's been awhile since anyone has eaten with them.

Jake nods, "Gustus, Cynthia and Maddie are coming over for dinner in about..." he checks his watch, "thirty-five minutes"

Clarke's face lights up, "Gustus is coming over!?" she says excitedly.

Jake nods and kisses the top of her head, "yes, so hurry up" he gently shoves her forward.

"Alright, I'm going, I'm going" she giggles and walks towards the kitchen, turning around to look at Lexa, "you're coming?" she asks.

Lexa's eyes widen ever so slightly and she nods, humming, "right" she nods again, slipping her hand into Clarke's outstretched one to follow her inside the room.

They clean the floor quickly then head upstairs, Clarke already looking through her wardrobe in search of a nice outfit for the night.

"Clarke?" Lexa says, "who's...uh...who's Gustus?" she asks, trying to figure out if the Griffins had mentioned his name before.

"My dad's best friend" Clarke answers with a smile, "he's a cop and will help us against Nia" she explains.

Lexa nods. If Clarke's reaction is anything to go by, the man will probably be really great to be around and she's surprisingly looking forward to it. She thinks it most likely comes from a want to know about all aspects of Clarke's life. A few weeks ago, that thought might have scared her but now...now she gladly welcomes it. She's been getting better at dealing with how big of a commitment it is to be someone's girlfriend and her doubts about it are slowly fading away, almost to the point of being inexistant. Her sexuality had made her assume she would have a hard time finding someone and you could say being found by Clarke has been the closest thing to a miracle the brunette has ever witnessed.

"How is he?" she asks, out of curiosity.

"He's great" Clarke smiles, "I mean, if you were tired of my dad and his silly jokes, wait to see how he is whenever Gus is around" she chuckles. 

"I love your dad's jokes" Lexa says.

"You're the only one" Clarke smirks, holding up a white dress, "should I wear that?" she asks Lexa.

The brunette looks up, "it's beautiful but isn't it just a dinner?"

"Yeah but we haven't really seen them in at least five months" Clarke explains, "for some reason, my mom has never liked Gustus so my dad stopped inviting him over because he knew it would only end in a shouting match between Gus and my mom"

"I'm sorry" Lexa quietly says.

Clarke shakes her head, "it's nothing. He's coming over now. It's all that matters" she smiles, "now come pick something to wear"

Lexa steps into Clarke's dressing, eyes raking over the different clothing item, "there are so many" she whispers.

Clarke chuckles a bit and steps next to her before picking up a black dress the stops just above the knees, "what about that one?"

Lexa takes it slowly, smiling softly as she runs her hand over the smooth material of the dress, "could you.." she trails off, motioning to the door.

Clarke laughs, "if you want some privacy, just say it but I've already seen you naked in case you forgot" she winks.

Lexa turns a deep shade of red. Clarke pecks her lips then moves out of the room, quietly closing the door behind her as she goes.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

The doorbell rings and Jake hurries to answer it, almost tripping over his own feet in the process. Clarke rolls her eyes, Lexa laughs and the man turns to shoot them a thumbs up that has Clarke rolling her eyes once more, a smile playing on her lips. As soon as the door is open, Jake opens his arms to hug Gustus but the latter walks past him and lifts Clarke in the air instead. Jake turns around, a betrayed expression on his face which quickly softens when he hears his daughter's laughter ring through the living room. He turns to greet Cynthia and Maddie, Gustus' wife and his five-year-old daughter. The little girl immediately wrapping her tiny arms around his leg, holding on tightly.

A few feet away, Clarke is finally released from the tight embrace and she looks up at the bearded man with a huge smile, "I missed you, Gus"

He smiles, "me too, kid" he gives her a strong pat on the shoulder that has her stepping forward.

"Don't break my daughter, Gustus" Jake says from afar, walking towards them with little Maddie still clinging to his leg, slowing his movements.

"I won't" Gustus says, "she's a tough one" he smiles at Clarke, "and you must be Lexa" he addresses the brunette who had so far been watching the exchange silently, not wanting to interrupt their moment.

"Lexa Woods" she nods in confirmation, "it's nice to meet you, sir" she extends a hand.

"None of that, call me Gustus" he shakes his head then closes his hand around hers, pulling on it to bring her into an unexpected hug.

Lexa brings her arms up to awkwardly return the embrace and smiles a bit when the man pulls away and smiles at her.

Clarke moves to greet Cynthia and leaves a kiss on Maddie's head who is still holding onto Jake's leg. They move to the dining room and each take a seat on the table. Jake, Maddie and Cynthia sit on one side while Lexa, Clarke and Gustus sit on the other, the tall man sitting right next to Lexa.

The conversation flows fluidly, both families trying to catch up on the events of the past months. Maddie jumps in her seat most of the time, munching happily on her potatoes. She reminds Lexa of Aden.

"How's your art going, Clarke?" Cynthia asks at some point.

Clarke looks up and wipes her mouth with a napkin before answering, "it's going good" she smiles, "I haven't really had much time to draw or paint in the last few weeks but I'll get back to it soon"

"You should" the woman nods, "you are very talented"

Lexa smiles proudly at her girlfriend at those words, agreeing wholefully with the woman. Jake too cannot hide his pride.

"Have you ever considered following art studies?" Cynthia enquires further.

The motion of Clarke's fork stops and she looks up in slight shock.

"Oh, I'm sorry. This is probably a touchy topic, I-" Cynthia starts to backtrack, thinking her comment might have been unwelcome but Clarke stops her.

"No, it's not that" the blonde quickly says, "I'm just not used to anyone encouraging me to pursue a career in art besides my dad. I mean, my mom always told me it was a stupid dream that would amount to nothing and that I should focus on getting a real job" she sadly reminisces.

Lexa grabs her hand under the table and gives it a small squeeze, earning a smile from the blonde.

"With all due respect, your mother's a fool if she doesn't see how much potential you have" Cynthia says, "don't you agree, Lexa? Isn't she amazing?"

Lexa's head snaps up, not expecting to be asked anything. She then turns her head to the side to look at Clarke as she speaks, "she really is" she smiles lovingly.

Clarke smiles back and pecks her lips.

"You're beautiful together" Cynthia comments.

"Thank you" both girls reply in unison, a slight blush covering Lexa's cheeks.

The dinner comes to an end and the conversation shifts to Nia Queen. Jake asks the girls to play with Maddie while he discusses with Gustus about the best course of action to take.

Maddie instantly busies herself with a puzzle that Clarke handed to her. The little girl looks up at Lexa and frowns, "what's your name?" she asks.

"Oh, uhm, I'm Lexa" the brunette answers.

Maddie nods and picks up one piece of a puzzle, holding it up for Lexa, "you wanna play?" she smiles, the gap between her front teeth becoming apparent as she does so.

Lexa smiles and nods. She then starts helping the girl finish her puzzle. Clarke as for her ruffles Maddie's hair then joins the adults in the kitchen. She catches the end of Gustus' sentence.

".....need you to put a listening device in her office" he turns to see who the intruder is when the door is pushed open, "hey, Clarke"

"Hey" she squints her eyes, "what were you guys saying?"

Jake waves dismissively, "nothing important" but Clarke raises an eyebrow at him, wordlessly announcing that she won't leave this room until they tell her what the plan is.

Jake sighs and looks at Gustus, silently prompting him to reveal the details. The man agrees and starts speaking.

"An investigation on Nia Queen has been opened thanks to the audio you provided for us" he explains, "I need your father to place a bug inside Ms. Queen's office so we can gather more incriminating info"

Clarke nods but doesn't seem pleased by the idea, "what if he gets caught?" she voices her concerns, "Nia's dangerous, dad. I don't want you to put yourself at risk"

"I won't get caught" Jake states confidently, "I promise to be extra careful"

Upon seeing that his daughter is still unconvinced, he slides the chair back and gets up to walk closer to his daughter.

"I know you probably don't like this idea but this is the best we can do. We cannot let that woman get away with everything she's done"

Clarke sighs, "I know" she whispers, "just...be careful, alright?"

"I promise"

 

 

\------------------

 

 

"Maddie, it's time to come home" Cynthia announces as they step back into the living room.

"Nooo" Maddie pouts, "I'm having fun with Lexa" she crosses her arms in front of her chest.

Lexa's heart jumps in her chest at those words, still surprised each time someone seems to enjoy spending time with her. The thought makes her smile.

"I know sweetie but it's getting late and you have school tomorrow" the girl's mother says, crouching down.

Maddie's still pouting but she nods and begrudgingly gets up. She hugs Clarke's legs tightly and does the same with Jake. Just as they're about to cross the threshold, Maddie turns around, disconnecting her hand from her mother's, "Lexa?"

The brunette hums, surprised to hear her name being called. She watches as Maddie steps closer and tugs on her sleeve to get her to crouch down. Lexa does and the little girl leaves a kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you for helping me with the puzzle" she whispers in Lexa's ear before joining her parents, waving goodbye at the three others.

Lexa blinks a few times to chase the tears away and smiles widely at the now closed door. She feels Clarke's arms wrap around her shoulders and brings her hands up to close around the blonde's forearms, humming contentedly when Clarke leaves a kiss on her neck.

"I'm going to clean the table. You girls can go ahead and go upstairs if you want" Jake says as he starts picking up the plates and heads inside the kitchen.

Clarke starts heading upstairs but Lexa stops her by tugging on her arm. She fixes the blonde with a raised eyebrow and Clarke sighs before joining her father into the kitchen so they can clean everything up together.

"Thank you, Lexa" Jake says once they're done.

Clarke gasps, "I helped too!" she points out.

"Don't think I didn't see you about to go upstairs, leaving me all alone to wash all those dishes" Jake says.

"We have a dishwasher" Clarke says.

"Not the point, Clarke" Jake counters, "I cannot believe my only daughter would be so cruel" he clutches at his heart, drawing a laugh from Lexa.

"So dramatic" Clarke says, unimpressed, "are you finished? Cause I'd like to go upstairs now"

Jake hums in thought, "yeah, I think I'm done" he smiles, nodding.

Clarke lets a smile break free and she wraps her arms around her father, hugging him tightly, "I love you, dad"

"I love you too, Clarke" he smiles and kisses the top of her head before motioning at Lexa to join the hug.

Lexa closes her eyes and lets herself enjoy the moment for a few seconds, finally feeling like she has found a real family.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

After having changed in their sleepwear, they head to bed. Clarke pats the space next to her in bed, prompting Lexa to join her. As soon as the brunette is under the covers, Clarke moves on top of her, straddling her. Lexa's eyes widen slightly and she brings her hands on Clarke's hips out of instinct.

"Hi" Clarke says as she smiles at her.

"Hi" Lexa replies, her smile matching the blonde's, "they were nice" she then says.

Clarke leans closer, resting her forehead against Lexa's, "you think so?" she asks, her breath hitting Lexa's lips.

Lexa hums, "yeah, they're ver-"

Her words are cut off when pink lips suddenly latch onto her own. She moves one hand to the nape of Clarke's neck while the other remains on the blonde's hip. She darts her tongue out to brush over Clarke's lips and the blonde responds by opening her mouth, deepening the kiss.

It starts getting heated and Clarke's hands are now tugging at the fabric of Lexa's shirt. Lexa slows the kiss and puts her hands over Clarke's, "Clarke...your father's here" she says, slightly out of breath.

"His room is downstairs" Clarke replies, "besides he's probably sleeping. He won't hear anything" she assures.

Lexa nods and looks one more time into blue eyes, "are you sure?" she whispers.

Clarke nods, "...are you?" she asks, needing to make sure. It wasn't their first time but consent was a really important thing for the both of them.

Lexa nods and Clarke lifts the brunette's shirt over her head before reconnecting their lips, her hands wandering down to find their home on Lexa's chest. She squeezes the girl's breasts through the fabric of her bra while their tongues brush together until Lexa's pulling on Clarke's shirt. The blonde gets rid of it, rendering them equal in terms of how much clothing they have left.

Lexa wraps an arm around Clarke's waist, her other hand moving to the back of her head before she swiftly turns them around and lowers her body on Clarke's.

Lexa's hands move behind Clarke's back to find the clasp of the blonde's bra. Clarke lifts her back off the bed so Lexa can take it off.

"You're so beautiful" Lexa breathes out in awe before latching her lips onto a nipple, flicking her tongue over it while her hand fondles Clarke's other breast. A hand tangles in brown curls as Lexa starts sucking lightly on Clarke's nipple before releasing it and shifting her mouth to the other breast, giving it equal attention.

Clarke's hips move up in search of friction and Lexa starts moving down the girl's body, leaving open-mouth kisses in her wake. She kisses both of Clarke's hipbones, her hand moving to grab one of the blonde's boobs. Her other hand rests on Clarke's ribs as she kisses right above the girl's pubic bone.

"Please, baby" Clarke's hips rise slightly from the bed.

Lexa nods and she tugs the girl's shorts and underwear down her legs in one swift movements before settling between them once more. She stares in complete wonder at Clarke's bare form then dips her head to leave loving kisses on the inside of Clarke's thighs.

The blonde huffs softly, "please, stop teas _\- fuck"_ she moans when Lexa blows a breath of air on her center.

"What do you want me to do?" Lexa looks up at her, her right hand resting on Clarke's thigh.

"Just...touch me, please" the blonde begs.

Lexa nods and leaves a few more kisses on Clarke's stomach, right under her navel before finally moving further down.

"Oh my god" Clarke moans out when Lexa finally moves her mouth where she needs her most.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

Jake walks inside _Queen Building'_ with purpose. **_That name is just as original as Trump Tower,_** he thinks to himself. He steps past the receptionist who tries to stop him to no avail. Having already been here _-unfortunately-_ he knows which way to go to reach Nia's office. He doesn't bother knocking and storms into the office, slamming the door behind him before stepping towards the desk. Nia doesn't startle at the sound and she looks up with a smirk. It's almost as if she had been awaiting his visit.

"Griffin" she nods in greeting, "to what do I owe this unexpected visit"

"You know why I'm here" he seethes, his hand closed around the listening device he's supposed to plant in the office, eyes already scanning the place for a hidden spot.

"I don't seem to remember but I'm sure you'll gladly refresh my memory" she arrogantly says.

"Don't climb on your high horses Nia" Jake says, "pretention has never looked good on you. You stay away from my daughters" he points a finger at her.

_"Daughters?"_ she scoffs, "I seem to remember you've only had one. It baffles me that you think this homeless girl could ever be good enough to carry the Griffin name"

"Do not speak ill of Lexa" he warns, stepping even closer.

Nia raises an eyebrow, "or what? You're going to sue me? You have nothing, Jake. In the eyes of the law, I have done nothing wrong"

Jake struggles to keep his calm. He grips the edge of the desk as he moves closer to the lawyer's face, "you know what you've done"

"I really don't" Nia lies, "and neither does the justice system. As far as I'm concerned, you're just a delusional man who's scared to lose custody of his only daughter and I respect that. It can't be easy" she smirks.

Jake smacks a pencil holder in one swift movement and takes advantage of Nia's brief moment of inattention to plant the listening device under her desk.

"This isn't over" he tells her before leaving, barely managing to keep his smile contained until he has exited the building, having successfully completed his task.

**_Nia's going down,_ ** he smiles to himself as he walks back home.

 

 

 


	17. A lesser evil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was supposed to be posted on Thursday but then life got in the way. Long story short, my mom found out I was gay and although she reacted well, I needed some time to adjust to the fact that she knew and that everything was going to change from now on. I apologize for taking so long and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter :)  
> I haven't had time to readproof so there might be a few mistakes. I apologize in advance

 

 

Over the next few days, things are pretty quiet. No news from the police station although Gustus did say he would inform them of any development. It seems that Nia Queen will be harder to catch than expected. So far, the woman's conversations were all about other cases. It also doesn't look like Abby has come to visit the woman in the past couple of days. Indra has come by to ask Jake if he still intended to take this case to court and the man replied it depended on whether or not Abby still wished to go through with it.

Clarke is currently gently tugging at Lexa's arm, "come on" she pleads, "let's take a picture"

Lexa groans, "why does it matter if you have a picture of us on in...insta...what's the name of that thing?"

"Instagram" Clarke says, "and it matters because I want everyone to see how beautiful you are and how lucky I am to have you as my girlfriend"

Lexa blushes, "I'm the lucky one" she murmurs as she gets closer, relenting.

Clarke switches the camera to the front one and outstretches her arm to take a picture. She takes several pictures. A few simple ones with them both smiling, then another one where she kisses Lexa's cheek.

Lexa was about to move out of the frame when Clarke placed her free hand on the brunette's cheek and connected their lips before pressing her thumb on her phone screen, capturing the moment in a picture. She then looks down at her phone to see the result, "perfect, thank you!" she pecks Lexa's lips.

"Y-you're welcome" Lexa stutters out, blushing.

Clarke opens the instagram app, opting to not use any filters because she deemed that the picture was already perfect as it is. She shows it to Lexa, "can I post it?" she asks for Lexa's consent, knowing some people don't like to have pictures of them posted on the internet. Lexa hesitates for a bit before eventually nodding, agreeing to it.

Only a couple minutes after the picture is posted, Clarke's phone starts buzzing with dozens of notifications.

"Wow" Lexa breathes out, "I didn't realize you were that popular" she says.

Clarke laughs, "I'm not _that_ popular" she denies, "I just know a lot of people" she shrugs.

Clarke switches her phone to silent, not willing to hear the same buzzing sound every ten seconds.

 

**rae_the_spacewalker**

_took u long enough! U 2 r disgustingly cute btw_

 

**luna_kom_floukru**

_gotta agree with Rae here. You're both gross ;)_

 

**the_better_blake**

_agreed._

 

Clarke rolls her eyes and shows the comments to Lexa who giggles a bit before replying to them.

 

**clarke_griffindor**

**_@the_better_blake @luna_kom_floukru @rae_the_spacewalker_** _get a life. Stop bullying us_

 

**rae_the_spacewalker**

_such a whiny child. I liked it better when u had ur tongue down Lexa's throat_

 

Lexa chokes on her saliva as she reads the message, throwing her into a coughing fit. Clarke rubs her back until it has passed then smirks a bit at the brunette.

"Don't make fun of me" Lexa points a finger at her.

Clarke raises her hands in the air, "I'm not making fun of anyone here" she says, a grin firmly etched onto her lips.

Lexa hums non-comittedly and Clarke goes to type out a reply.

 

**clarke_griffindor**

_**@rae_the_spacewalker** Lexa choked on her saliva. You almost killed Lexa. I hope you're proud._

 

**luna_kom_floukru**

_cute_

 

Lexa pouts and grabs Clarke's phone, fumbling with it for a few seconds to try and figure out how the app works.

 

**clarke_griffindor**

_**@luna_kom_floukru** I'm not cute - Lexa_

 

**rae_the_spacewalker**

_**@clarke_griffindor @luna_kom_floukru** is Lexa pouting right now?_

 

**the_better_blake**

_**@rae_the_spacewalker** I bet she totally is_

 

**clarke_griffindor**

**_@rae_the_spacewalker_** _she is_

 

**luna_kom_floukru**

_cute_

 

"Claaarke" Lexa whines, slapping Clarke's shoulder, "stop embarrassing me"

Clarke laughs, "but you're so adorable when you blush"

Lexa shakes her head and drops her head onto the pillow, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Clarke laughs and lowers her body on Lexa's, "I'm sorry, baby" she says, grinning widely.

Lexa raises an eyebrow, "you don't look sorry" she simply says.

Clarke bends down to press a kiss on her forehead, then on both her cheeks before peppering her whole face with light kisses, drawing giggles from the brunette. She stops suddenly to simply gaze into emerald eyes, "I love you" she murmurs.

Lexa's eyes soften, "I love you too" she murmurs back, craning her neck to claim Clarke's lips with her own.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

When Clarke descends the stairs, she sees that her father is frowing deeply at his phone, not having noticed her presence yet.

"What are you doing?"

He jumps up at the sound of her voice and locks the screen, hiding what he was doing prior to her interruption. Clarke squints her eyes.

"Is it about something related to Nia?"

Jake hesitates then nods, "yes, it's, uhh, it's about that, yeah"

Clarke chuckles, "you know, you're such a bad liar sometimes, it's kind of embarrassing. Come on, tell me" she insists, "who was it?"

He sighs and places his phone on the coffee table along with a small piece of paper. He nods towards it and Clarke takes it between her thumb and index finger before unfolding the note, looking questioningly at her dad.

As her eyes drop to the note, she sees the following words written neatly on them, the words followed by a phone number :

 

 

 

 

> _Call me whenever_
> 
> _Hannah_

 

Clarke's smile grows and she looks back at her father excitedly, "this is great!" she says, "are you going to call her?"

Jake sighs, "I don't know...she gave it to me a long time ago. She probably doesn't even remember who I am" he defeatedly says.

"Are you kidding me? Of course she remembers you. How could anyone ever forget you? You're awesome!" she praises, grabbing her father's phone to dial the woman's number.

"Whoa, hold on" Jake says, trying to get his phone back, "not so fast" he says, still trying to get a hold of his phone.

"Do you like her?" Clarke questions.

"...yes" Jake replies, apprehension in his voice.

"And she makes you happy, right?"

He stays silent for a bit before answering, "yes"

Clarke grins and finishes dialing the woman's number, "that's it, we're calling her and you're going to man up and ask her out on a date" she tells her father.

"W-what? Wait no, _Clarke!"_ he says but it's too late, the phone is already ringing and it takes only a few rings for the call to be accepted.

Clarke throws the phone into the hands a very panicked Jake, a wide smile gracing the blonde's features.

 _"Hello?"_ the voice on the other end says.

Jake's eyes widen and he looks at Clarke, silently asking what to do.

 _"Hello?"_ Hannah repeats once more.

Clarke gestures at her father to speak and he does so, stuttering slightly, "h-hi! It's, um, i-it's Jake" he manages to get out.

 _"Oh, hi Jake!"_ Hannah cheerfully says, _"it's nice to hear from you. Did you call for a specific reason?"_

Jake loses himself in the sound of her voice for a bit before his mind registers the question and panic flows over his body, "I...um...I called...."

Hannah chuckles, _"you did"_ she confirms, highly amused.

"Yes" he nods to himself, "so..." he trails off.

Clarke rolls her eyes and snatches the phone away from her father's hand, bringing it to her own ear, "hello, Hannah"

 _"Clarke?"_ Hannah says, slightly confused.

"The one and only" Clarke grins, "so basically my dad is too much of a loser to ask you-" Jake lets out an offended _'hey'_ at this, "- so I will do it myself" Clarke continues, "are you free tonight?"

_"Oh, well Tris is going out so I would need to find someone to watch over Aden, why?"_

"Lexa and I would gladly look after him. And it's because my dad wants to take you out on a date. Tonight" she says, making Jake choke on his saliva.

"Are you crazy?" he whispers loudly but only receives a dismissing wave of hand from Clarke in response.

 _"I'd love to but are you sure this is what Jake wants?"_ Hannah says dubiously.

Clarke smiles and places the phone near Jake's mouth, "dad, do you want to go on a date with Hannah?"

Jake nods dumbly before realizing Hannah can't see him, "yes" he quietly says, "I-I'd love to"

 _"What time should I be ready then?"_ the woman's smile could be heard through the phone.

"Uh...seven?" Jake says, still a bit stunned that she accepted.

 _"Are you asking me or telling me?"_ Hannah laughs lightly and Jake feels a warmth in her chest at the sound.

"Telling you" he replies, beaming.

 _"I'll see you then"_ she says.

"Me too, er, I mean, I'll see you tonight" he awkwardly replies.

Thankfully, she finds his awkwardness endearing and chuckles, _"I'll text you my address. Bye, Jake"_

"Bye, Hannah" he says before hanging up, a huge grin splitting his lips.

"Well that was painful to watch" Clarke says, smiling widely because of how happy she feels that her father is once again getting a shot at real happiness.

His phone buzzes and he looks down to see Hannah's address written down. He smiles at his phone.

"Thank you, Clarke" he says, wrapping his arms around his daughter, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Anything for you" she replies earnestly, "you better not fuck this up" she warns him.

"I won't" he promises, looking back at his phone with a small smile.

Clarke laughs and pushes on his shoulder, "come on, go get ready for your date"

He frowns, "but it's only five" he says.

"It's _already_ five" Clarke corrects, "go pick an outfit" she instructs and he gets up from the bed to head upstairs, "make me proud!" she shouts as he starts happily climbing the stairs.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

"Your dad has a date with Hannah?" Lexa asks excitedly, a bit sad that she didn't get to see Jake make a fool of himself because she was at her martial arts' class with Anya.

"Yup" Clarke confirms, popping the _'p'_

"This is great!" Lexa claps her hands excitedly, "where is he taking her?"

Clarke shrugs, "no idea" she says, "he's only known that he had a date for about one hour" she informs Lexa, "I have good news" she then says.

Lexa frowns, intrigued, "what is it?"

"Considering Tris is going out, Hannah needed someone to watch over Aden" she starts and Lexa's smile grows.

"Please tell me you're saying what I think you're saying" she pleads.

"Aden will spend the evening with us" Clarke confirms, nodding.

Lexa lets out a small squeal of joy and she wraps her arms around Clarke, _"yesss"_ she whispers happily.

Clarke chuckles and wraps her arms around Lexa's waist, holding her tightly against herself as she buries her face in the crook of Lexa's neck, "you hair smells nice" she whispers.

"Yeah?" Lexa asks and receives a small nod in reply, "I found a shampoo bottle in one of the cupboards and it looked like it had never been opened so...is it okay that I used some of your products?"

"It's always okay" Clarke murmurs, "especially when it smells that good" she says inhaling deeply.

"Stop smelling my hair" Lexa giggles, "it's weird"

Clarke laughs and moves her face so that she is now facing Lexa. She leans foward and presses her lips ever so gently against Lexa's, kissing her softly.

"You're so beautiful" she says, tracing the outline of Lexa's jaw before brushing her fingers over the brunette's cheeks. Lexa's cheeks take on a pink shade and she looks away, a tiny smile etched onto her lips.

Clarke grabs her chin to get the brunette to look back at her before she connects their lips once more in a slow kiss. They're interrupted when Jake walks into the room in a white dress shirt and black jeans, nervously tugging at his sleeves, "does this look okay?" he asks.

"You look great, Jake" Lexa beams at him, "she's gonna love it"

"You think so?" he looks down at his outfit, buttoning then unbuttoning the top button.

Clarke rolls her eyes, "stop acting so nervous, you're making me nervous" she grabs his hands and keeps him from touching the top button again, "leave it unbuttoned" she advises him.

"I don't know how to do this" he sighs heavily, "what if I just make a fool of myself?"

"You won't" Clarke says, "you're an amazing man and she clearly already likes you otherwise I don't see why she would have laughed at your jokes"

"My jokes aren't that bad" he argues.

"They are, dad" Clarke says, "but it's okay, we still love you" she places a kiss on his cheek before shoving him out of the room, "now go get your woman" she winks at him.

He nods and heads out, mentally giving himself a pep talk to give him some confidence. **_I can do this, no big deal,_** he thinks to himself.

"I never thought I'd see your dad acting shy" Lexa laughs, wrapping her arms around Clarke's waist from behind, her chin resting on the girl's shoulder.

Clarke smiles, "he's a teenager in the body of an adult. Do not let appearances fool you"

"I think he'll do great" Lexa says, "there is no way she won't like him and his stupid jokes"

"I thought you liked his jokes?" Clarke raises an eyebrow.

Lexa hums, "doesn't mean they aren't stupid" she says, drawing a laugh from Clarke.

Lexa smiles and presses a kiss on Clarke's shoulder where her shirt had fallen a bit, "I can't wait to see Aden" she whispers against the blonde's skin.

"I'm sure he can't wait to see you either" Clarke tells the brunette.

 

 

\---------------

 

 

Jake stops the car in front of his house so that Hannah can lead Aden to the door, leaving the boy in Clarke and Lexa's care for the rest of the evening. The man uses that time to breathe deeply and ease his anxiety. So far, everything has been going well but then again, it's only the beginning of the date and he can't help but fear he'll mess this up at one point or another. He tells himself to be more confident.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Lexa hears the doorbell ring and she jumps up the couch, already knowing who's standing behind the closed door.

"Slow down, baby" Clarke says, laughing lightly. She places a kiss on Lexa's cheek then goes to open the door.

Aden's eyes grow twice their size when he sees the two girls standing in front of him. He turns to look at his mom as if to ask if it was real and Hannah nods, smiling.

"You'll be staying with Clarke and Lexa tonight. Is that okay with you?" she asks him.

He nods eagerly and extends his arms to hug his mom before pressing a kiss on her cheek, "thank you, mommy" he whispers in her ear.

Hannah bids them goodbye then walks down to climb back inside the car. Clarke closes the door behind Aden and sees that already, the blond boy's arms are wrapped tightly around Lexa's neck, the brunette having crouched down to be at his eye-level.

"I missed you, Lessa" he whispers in her neck.

"I missed you too, buddy" she ruffles his hair, pressing a kiss on his temple.

Once the boy has detached himself from Lexa, he turns to Clarke and wraps his tiny arms around her legs, "I missed you too, Clarke"

The blonde's lips stretch into a smile and she lowers herself to lift the boy in her arms and carry him on her hip, "so what do you want to do, Aden?"

"A castle!" he shouts excitedly.

Clarke laughs and nods, "alright. I'll be right back" she says, handing the boy to Lexa as she goes upstairs to look for her old set of blocks.

As for Lexa, she sits on the couch, Aden clinging to her neck and she smiles widely, holding the boy tightly against her chest.

"Lessa?"

She hums, "yes?"

"You have beautiful hair" he says, grabbing a brown curl to play with it.

"Thank you" she grins, watching how he seems really focused in that moment.

His hands start touching her face, fingers brushing over each of her features as the boy giggles happily. She lets him have his fun and scrunches her nose up when he pokes it with his index finger.

Clarke stops in her steps when she catches sight of their interaction. She smiles fondly before moving to the living room, dropping the blocks on the ground at Lexa's feet. She then moves the coffee table to make some room for them to play.

"Castle!" Aden exclaims, trying to get off Lexa's lap to sit on the floor.

Lexa puts both hands under his armpits and lifts him up before lowering him to the floor. She sits down next to him and pulls on Clarke's hand so that the girl joins them on the floor.

"Lessa, take this" Aden hands Lexa a block which the girl accepts with a smile, "put it here" he points at the floor.

Lexa does as told and places the block at the indicated spot. Aden then takes another block and gives it to Clarke, "put it on this" he taps the block Lexa has just placed. Clarke obliges and it goes on like this for a while, Aden giving out instructions on where to place the blocks to build his castle, clapping each time they successfully add a block to his creation.

Soon, the castle is almost as high as Aden and he smiles brightly, "stop, stop!" he tells Lexa as she goes to put another block on top.

Lexa stops moving, "is the castle finished?" she asks.

Aden nods and steps back and admires his creation. Clarke does as well and she pulls out her phone, "alright, Aden" she calls for his attention, "can you move next to Lexa so we can take a picture of you and your beautiful castle?"

The boy nods eagerly and Lexa crouches down behind him, both smiling widely at the camera pointed at them. Clarke snaps the picture and pockets her phone afterwards.

Aden whispers something in Lexa's ear and she laughs. Clarke squints her eyes at them, "what are you two talking about?"

Aden smiles and points at the castle they built, "can I destroy it?" he asks and Clarke isn't even slightly surprised. She remembers from when she was a kid that the best part about building something is to destroy it afterwards.

She nods and Aden claps his hands together before kicking his foot into the castle, making it fall to pieces. He giggles as his creation falls apart and looks back at Lexa, proud of himself. The brunette laughs and grabs the little boy, lifting him up in the air. Her ears are graced with Aden's loud laughter as she carries him through the house. Clarke smiles fondly and starts picking the blocks up to place them back into the box.

Lexa sees her and quickly walks back into the living room, "oh no, let me get that" she lowers Aden on the ground and starts helping Clarke.

"Thank you" Clarke quietly says.

She glances to her side and sees that Aden isn't looking at them, much more absorbed by the photos above the fireplace. She quickly pecks Lexa's lips in thanks, then moves to place the box back upstairs. Lexa checks her watch and sees that it's already eight and Aden should probably go to sleep now or else he'll be tired in the morning. Her suspicions are confirmed when Aden yawns, covering his mouth with his hand.

"Time to go to bed" she announces.

"Nooo" Aden whines, "I'm not tired" he crosses his arms in front of his chest.

Lexa raises an eyebrow, "and you expect me to believe that?" she says before tickling the boy lightly, "huh? You expect me to believe that?" she repeats, smiling.

"Stop! Stop!" Aden yells out through his laughter, "Lessa, s-stop"

Lexa relents in her attack and lifts the boy into her arms, carrying him up to the bathroom. She helps him brush his teeth while Clarke prepares a bed for him in the guestroom. They tuck him in after changing him into the pyjamas Hannah had placed in a bag which the woman handed to the girls when she dropped off Aden.

"Can you stay?" Aden asks them after they each place a kiss on his forehead, "please" he adds, rememebering his mother's instructions to always be polite.

They smile and agree, slipping under the blankets with him. It isn't silent for long.

"Are you two in love?" he asks quietly.

The girls are taken aback, remaining silent for a second before Clarke answers his unexpected question, "yes" she confirms, "yes, we are. Lexa's my girlfriend" she smiles at the brunette.

Aden frowns, seemingly deep in thought, "so she's your girlfriend?" he repeats. Clarke nods, "does that mean Jake is my mommy's girlfriend too?"

They both laugh a bit at the boy's choice of words, "well Aden, he would be her boyfriend. Maybe one day he will be your mommy's boyfriend" she carefully says, "would it be okay with you?"

Aden thinks it over before nodding, "yes, Jake is great!" he claims, eyes bright.

"I agree" Lexa says, pinching his cheeks, "now sleep, buddy" she instructs.

After a few minutes of silence, they think the boy has fallen asleep but his voice once more can be heard through the quiet of the room, "Lessa?"

"What is it, Aden?"

"Can you be my girlfriend too?" he whispers his question.

Lexa chuckles and brushes her thumb over his cheek affectionately, "let's wait until you're a bit older, alright?"

He hums and snuggles closer to her, reaching behind him to grab Clarke's arm and place it over his waist, "perfect" he whispers before falling asleep.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

 _"Abby- yes, I understand th- I'm working on it"_ Nia says, huffing at the woman's constant interruptions.

On the other end of the line, the middle-aged woman is starting to worry due to the lack of advancement of Nia's job. So far, the only thing the woman has achieved is putting them in a situation that could ruin both their lives.

"I don't think you understand how big of a deal this is, Nia" Abby pinches the bridge of her nose.

_"I do, which is why I'm telling you the only way we can manage to reach our goal is if we do it my way"_

"We are not going to hurt a teenager" Abby firmly says, "there must be another way"

 _"There isn't"_ Nia counters, _"just let me do my thing. I never get caught, you know that"_

Abby sighs, "you never get caught because no one ever comes after you. They're too scared. But I know my daughter and my husband. They won't back away from this"

 _"I have men everywhere"_ Nia confidently states, _"your husband and daughter cannot get to me. Stop worrying about such silly things"_

Abby sighs, tired of Nia's nonchalant attitude. The woman is taking things too lightly and Abby refuses to be caught in the crossfire once the woman's actions blow up in her face.

"Just do as I say because I won't hesitate to betray you if it means I get to save myself" Abby threatens.

 _"You can't betray me, Abby"_ her smirk could be heard through the phone, _"if I go down, I'll make sure you go down with me"_

Abby hangs up the phone and resists the urge to throw it across the room in anger. She has really stepped right into that one when she asked for Nia's help and she can only blame herself for being foolish enough to believe that Nia would somehow play by the rules for once. The middle-aged woman, despite being desperate to get her daughter back, doesn't wish for others to get severely hurt in the process. She knows that Nia doesn't care how much damage she causes in her search for triumph and that could cost them both a lot if things go south for them.

On the other side of town, Gustus has been listening intently to the phone call, trying to find anything that could be proof enough of Nia being a real threat to our society. So far, he has gathered evidence that Nia is dipping into shady business but until he can prove of what exactly that business consists, those pieces of evidence serve no purpose. What he did get from this conversation, however, is that Abby most likely isn't on board with whatever Nia's plan is but then again, having only had access to half of the conversation, he cannot be entirely certain.

He sighs and puts his head in his hands, telling himself to remain patient in order to finally catch the woman. He just feels as though everytime he gets somewhat close to catching her, something happens which allows the woman to get away with illegal activities.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

Hannah comes inside to bring her sleeping son back into the car. Jake passes by the girls on his way out and Clarke grabs his arm.

"How did it go?" she quietly asks.

He scratcres the back of his neck, a tiny smile stretching his lips, "I think it went well" he reveals.

Clarke's smile grows, "I'm happy for you" she whispers against her father's chest as she hugs him.

"Thank you, sweetie" Jake strokes her hair, "I owe you for pushing me to do this, seriously"

"You don't owe me anything" Clarke says, "now go be a gentleman and bring the lady back home" she shoves him towards the door.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

Jake is standing awkwardly next to the door, not really knowing how to go about this. Should he kiss her? Should he wait until another time?

During their date, the topic of his impending divorce with Abby came up and Hannah has been nothing but understanding and even offered to help them, should they ever need anything.

When she comes back outside after putting Aden in bed, Hannah makes the decision for him as she moves closer and slowly leans forward, pressing her lips ever so slightly against Jake's.

"Thank you for tonight" she whispers against his lips before stepping back.

Jake smiles at her like a fool and waves dumbly at her when she closes the door behind her, shooting him a small _'goodnight'_

As soon as the man hears the soft click of the door being closed, he raises his fist in victory, fistbumping the air, _"yesss"_ he whispers to himself before happily making his way back into his car, smiling the whole drive back home.

"Wow, what happened for you to smile like that?" Lexa asks, grinning at the man.

Jake doesn't say a word. He simply wraps his arms around Lexa and lifts the girl in the air, spinning her around, the girl's laughter echoing through the house.

"I love you, did you know that?" he says, lost in pure happiness.

Lexa's smile widens, "I love you too, Jake" she replies as the man puts her on the ground, "I take it the date went very well?"

The man nods and moves towards Clarke. The girl's eyes widen but as she prepares to flee, the man wraps his arms around her waist and spins her around much like he did with Lexa.

"And I love you, my beautiful daughter" he presses a kiss to her cheek.

Clarke giggles, "are you high?" she asks jokingly.

"High on happiness" he replies ruffling her hair before slumping into the couch, smiling to himself.

Clarke laughs and pats his shoulder, "well, since you seem so happy, we're going to head upstairs" she informs him.

He hums happily, barely acknowledging her words as he is already too engrossed in his phone, having just received a text from Hannah, thanking him once again for the date. Clarke rolls her eyes and takes Lexa's hand in hers, leading them to her bedroom.

She drops on the bed and opens her arms, silently asking Lexa to crawl into them. Once the brunette is laying on her chest, Clarke starts playing with brown curls, twirling them around her fingers, "I'm happy" she simply says.

Despite all the recent events and how hard her life has become, seeing her dad like this has sent an indescribable feeling of happiness coursing through her veins.

"Then I'm happy too" Lexa whispers back, nuzzling Clarke's neck with her nose before leaving a delicate kiss on the blonde's skin.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

Raven sits down at their table, frowning, "Clarke?" the blonde hums in reply, "well, I went to your house last night and your mom said you didn't live here anymore..." she trails off, waiting for an explanation.

Clarke clears her throat, caught off guard by the silent question. She feels Lexa's hand brush against her own under the table and intertwines their fingers.

"My parents are getting divorced" the blonde doesn't beat around the bush.

"What?" Raven and Luna both say in unison, "but why?" Raven asks.

"My mom...she couldn't accept who I was...she couldn't accept my relationship with Lexa so my father decided to get a divorce and I know it might all seem sudden to you guys because I never really spoke about it but my mom has never really been supportive of me" she reveals, "this divorce was long overdue"

"But...Abby has always been so sweet.." Raven says, not understanding.

"To you, yes" Clarke nods, "but she was different once you left the house. She would become more controlling and I didn't want to tell you cause I didn't want you guys to think badly of her for the simple reason that I believed I could still get my mom back someday but I can't...I'm sorry for not telling you" she wipes at a stray tear as she finishes speaking.

"...there's nothing to apologize for, Clarke" Luna says, "it must have been hard for you to keep this to yourself for so long"

"We're here if you need anything" Raven places a hand on Clarke's forearm in reassurance, "always"

"Thank you, guys" the blonde whispers, her head dropping on Lexa's shoulder, "I appreciate it, I really do"

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

Lexa is on her way home after practice with Anya when she gets the feeling that she's being followed. She grips her bag tighter and checks behind her but the street seems empty. She keeps walking but cannot shake off the feeling that something is seriously off. She feels a presence behind her and swiftly steps to the right, avoiding by an inch the blade that was aimed at the small of her back.

She takes advantage of the moment of inattention of the man due to the surprise of Lexa dodging his attack and brings her foot up to kick the knife out of his hand before punching him in the nose, causing him to stumble back.

The man wipes at his nose and smirks as if he enjoyed the pain caused by the hit.

Lexa swiftly blocks his next attack with her arm before kneeing him in the groin. He steps back, bent forward and hands clasped over his family jewels and she uses that moment to kick him in the chin, sending him flying backwards.

The guy doesn't seem ready to give up as he gets up and launches at her. She manages to dodge his first punch but the second comes as a surprise, hitting her in the jaw.

She quickly recovers and tries to send him to the ground by kicking into his leg but he's faster and he grips her leg, pulling on it to bring the brunette to the ground, the girl grunting in pain as her back hits the ground violently. She feels a sharp pain in her ribs as the man kicks her repeatedly.

The man then picks up his knife while Lexa's holding her stomach in pain.

Lexa pushes herself up and the man lunges forward. She barely manages to avoid the tip of his blade but the knife cuts through the right side of her waist. She screams in pain and presses tightly on her injury with her hand, the blood flowing quickly. That's when they both hear police sirens, the sound getting louder by the second.

The man's eyes widen and he drops the knife to the ground, starting to run away.

 

 

_\----ten minutes ago----_

 

_"Sir, I think we're onto something" an officer says as he enters Gustus' office._

_Gustus quickly rises from his seat and follows the officer through the police station. He sits at the table and turns the volume up to listen more carefully, catching the end of Nia's sentence._

_"....where are you at the moment?"_

_Gustus frowns, trying to pinpoint who the woman could possibly be talking about._

_"Wait until she's alone. We don't want any witnesses" Nia's voice says through the device, "hurt her but do not kill her" she instructed._

_"Where is Lexa?" Gustus asks, worried._

_The officers shrug and Gustus sighs. He pulls out his phone and dials Clarke's number._

_"Clarke, we don't have much time. Do you know where Lexa is right now?"_

_Clarke's slightly panicked voice comes through the phone, "uh...she-she should be coming back from her training with Anya. What's going on?"_

_"We don't know yet but she could be in danger. Can you tell me what itinerary she uses to come back home?" Gustus hurriedly asks._

_"Uh y-yeah" Clarke stutters before giving him directions._

_Gustus thanks her and hangs up, already shrugging on his coat and climbing into his car, followed by two other officers._

_"Alright let's move, people" he yells out, starting the car._

 

 

_\----present time----_

 

 

Lexa's attacker doesn't make it very far. A few meters into his run, he's being tackled by a police officer that Lexa recognizes to be Gustus. Two police officers come by her side to check if she needs medical attention while Gustus handcuffs the man and roughly pushes him inside the police car.

As the adrenaline wears off, the pain in her waist makes itself known more intensely and the brunette's eyes fill quickly with unshed tears as she still has one hand clasped on the wound.

 _"Fuck"_ she mutters under gritted teeth.

Despite all of it, she smiles to herself when she realizes that Anya's teachings haven't been pointless and that she fought well.

Gustus walks towards her, informing her that an ambulance is on its way. Lexa thanks the man before the latter grabs his talkie to report to the station.

As Lexa turns her head to the side, she sees a figure running towards her and it doesn't take her long to recognize Clarke's blond hair. She smiles and tries to move but winces when it brings her pain.

"Lexa!" Clarke shouts, slightly out of breath when she gets closer, "oh my god" she says when she catches sight of the brunette's shirt covered in blood.

"You should have seen the other guy" Lexa tries to joke but it falls flat.

Clarke cups her cheeks and leans her forehead against hers just as they hear the sound of the ambulance approaching.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there" Clarke whispers, tears welling up in her eyes.

Lexa shakes her head, "there's nothing to apologize for" she whispers, "I'm okay" she assures Clarke, "I promise"

Considering how fast Lexa is losing blood, they hurry to help her up inside the ambulance, allowing Clarke to climb with them before closing the door and driving away to the nearest hospital. Clarke notices the pained expression on her girlfriend's face despite how hard the brunette is trying to plaster a fake smile on her face. The blonde runs her fingers through Lexa's hair, humming soothingly, trying to ignore how scared she is, for the sake of her girlfriend.

Clarke tells the paramedics that she's got it and she places an arm around Lexa's hips, being careful not to touch the wound while grabbing the brunette's arm and placing it over her own shoulders to carry the girl's weight.

They hury towards the reception and Miller, one of her mom's colleagues, walks into the room.

"Clarke?" he frowns.

She nods at Lexa, "the wound is pretty deep and she's losing a lot of blood" she says, panic lacing her words.

" 'm not" Lexa mumbles, on the verge of consciousness.

Clarke cups her face, forcing her look at her, "hey, don't fall asleep. You hear me? I need you to stay awake a bit longer"

Lexa nods and Miller tells the blonde he will take care of it immediately. They put the brunette on a stretcher, rushing her towards the operation block.

Jake arrives into the hospital quickly after them, frantically asking around for them, pacing anxiously in the hospital hall.

He spots Clarke and runs towards her, "are you okay?" he asks her, cupping her cheeks and scanning her body for any signs of injury.

"I-Im okay" she says through sobs, "but L-Lexa, she..she's-" her voice cracks and her father cradles her in her arms, holding her tightly against himself as she sobs into his shirt.

"She's gonna be okay" he whispers against the blonde's hair, "she's gonna be okay" he repeats.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

Lexa comes out about an hour later and despite the hospital protocol stipulating that anyone who's not family has to wait in order to see the patient, Clarke tries to push her way through the doors, a nurse trying to stop her.

"Clarke?" her mother's voice echoes through the hospital halls.

Clarke stops her movements and turns around, eyes filled with fury, "this is _your_ fault" she accuses, " _you_ did that. I know you did it, how could you?!" she shoves her mother, taking out all her anger and worry on the older woman.

Abby takes the hits, confused as to what her daughter is talking about, then it clicks. _Lexa. Nia Queen._ Her eyes widen.

"Clarke, hold on" she puts her hands on her daughter's wrists as she tries to reach for her and Jake wraps his arms around Clarke's waist, pulling her back.

"Let go of me!" Clarke shouts but Jake's grip remains firm.

"I didn't do this, Clarke, I swear" Abby tells the blonde, "I know I've been a bad mother to you but this isn't me. I promise that I would never do anything that could put Lexa's life in danger"

Clarke scoffs, refusing to hear her mother's words even though she knows them to be true, "I want to see her" she demands, "right now. I don't give a fuck about your stupid hospital protocol. It's the least you can do for me" her tone is cold and detached, a clear contrast to the tears running down her cheeks.

Her mother dips her head in shame and nods, leading her towards the patients' room, asking through her pager the number of Lexa's room. As soon as they're in front of it, Clarke barges into the room, not bothering to knock. Jake stays behind, letting them have a moment alone.

"Hey" Lexa smiles lazily at Clarke, hands resting on her stomach.

"Don't you fucking _'hey'_ me, Lexa" Clarke says, stepping around the bed before dropping to her knees next to it. The blonde takes the brunette's hands in her own and brushes her thumbs over them.

"I'm sorry" Lexa whispers, realizing that now isn't the time to crack jokes.

Clarke inhales deeply and slowly releases the air from her lungs, her hand coming up to brush away her tears, "do you have any idea how scared I was? I got this phone call from Gustus and I got s-so scared...I got so scared" her voice cracks at the end.

Lexa's eyes become teary as she takes in the expression on her girlfriend's face, "I'm sorry" she repeats, not knowing what else to say.

Clarke shakes her head and cups Lexa's cheeks, leaning her forehead against the brunette, "stop apologizing" she whispers against plump lips before capturing them in hers over and over again, being careful not to touch Lexa's waist.

When she pulls back, she once again lets her forehead connect with the brunette's, breathing her in. It is a way to reassure herself that Lexa is here with her and that everything will be okay.

"I love you so much" she whispers, a single tear leaking from her eye.

"Clarke..." Lexa whispers, tears of her own rolling down her cheeks, "I love you too" she whispers back, "always"

"Always?" Clarke looks up, eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Always" Lexa repeats, nodding.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

They switch on the tv a bit after Jake has entered the room and catch a picture of none other than Nia Queen being dragged by the police towards a police car, handcuffed, the woman's head angled towards the ground. The journalist starts speaking.

_"According to a recording and the confessions of one of the men working for Nia Queen, the woman has made threats and has been behind an attack against a teenage girl whose name will not be revealed for privacy purposes. The lawyer will have to go through a trial to decide what her sentence will be but if we trust Officer Gustus Adams' words, one thing is clear, the woman will not get away with this. We still have no information on whether or not the lawyer acted alone"_

Clarke's hand squeezes Lexa's and the brunette allows herself to smile at the news, telling herself that her injury is a lesser evil if it means justice is served and Nia finally gets what she deserves.

 

 

 

 


	18. Unresolved issues always come back to the surface

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The support that a lot of you give me on both The Missing Piece and this fic is freaking amazing and I'd like to thank you for that. It means more to me than you can imagine

 

 

Jake looks to the girls after turning the tv off, looking at them with seriousness, an expression that isn't often plastered on his face, "I need to know where you stand when it comes to Abby"

"W-what do you mean?" Clarke asks, confused.

Jake sighs, "her name hasn't been mentioned, not even once. On top of it, it's been confirmed to me by Gustus that Nia acted alone when it comes to that specific attack" he tells them, "which means Abby will remain unlinked to the story unless a case is opened and we find out she's been Nia's ally, putting her in an undesirable situation"

"But to open a case, charges need to pressed" Clarke completes, understanding falling onto her of just how much power they held over Abby's fate.

Jake nods, confirming his daughter's words, "Lexa, I need you to tell me if the man said anything when he attacked you. Anything that has to do with Abby"

Lexa shakes her head, "he didn't say anything...he just...launched at me with a knife" she says. Clarke's hand tightens around her own as she says those words and the blonde brings their joined hands up to press her lips against the back of Lexa's, lingering for a few seconds.

Jake smiles at the small act of love and nods, getting up, "I'll check in with Gustus and see if he has any information then I'll come back to hear your decision on whether to press charges against Abby or not" he says before leaving the room.

Clarke's shoulders sag as she breathes out a deep sigh, "I'm so tired" she murmurs.

Lexa's eyes soften and she quietly tells Clarke to climb on the bed with her.

The blonde does so without arguing and lets her head drop on Lexa's shoulder, "I'm so glad you're okay" she whispers as her thumb brushes over the back of Lexa's hand.

"Yeah..me too" Lexa whispers back, leaving a kiss on the blonde's temple, "what do you want to do about your mother?" she softly enquires.

"I..would you think it's weird if I told you that I do not want to go after her?"

Although a bit surprised by that, Lexa shakes her head, "whatever you decide to do, it will be your decision and I know it will be the right one" she simply says.

"God, why are you always so perfect?" Clarke moves her head to the side and Lexa does as well, the two of them now facing each other.

Lexa laughs softly, "I'm not perfect" she denies with a light blush.

"You're perfect to me" Clarke is quick to say, a hand coming up to brush her fingers over the brunette's cheek, softly drawing the contour of it.

Lexa scoots closer to graze her lips against Clarke's, waiting for the blonde to close the remaining distance. The blonde moves slightly to press her lips more firmly against Lexa's, relishing in the feeling of the brunette's lips molding against her own.

A voice is cleared and the two girls pull away, slightly dazed as they look around and notice Gustus standing in the doorway.

"Can I come in?" he quietly asks.

Both girls nod and Gustus walks slowly into the room, revealing the flowers he was holding behind his back.

"This is for the bravest girl I know" he hands them to Lexa, smiling kindly at the girl, "you did great earlier" he praises her.

"Thank you" she says, a tiny smile appearing on her lips as she accepts the flower bouquet handed to her.

"I'm also sorry we weren't able to get there before you got hurt" he apologizes, clasping his hands together behind his back.

Lexa shakes her head, "you saved me" she tells him, "you were there and that's all that matters"

Gustus nods and motions to the edge of the bed, silently asking if it would be okay to take a seat there. Upon receiving a nod, he settles on the bed and pats Lexa's leg, "I have spoken to your doctor and he said you should stay in here for the night just in case"

Lexa pouts, not really happy that she won't get to come home tonight.

"You have to understand his orders" Gustus says, smiling sympathetically, "the cut was deep and you lost a lot of blood. We don't want to risk making it worse"

"But the food here is shit" Lexa points at the tray of food that had been brought to her room a little earlier and which remains almost untouched.

Gustus and Clarke laugh, "well, I cannot disagree with that" the man says, "how about I bring you some of my dinner tonight? How does that sound?"

"You would do that?" Lexa asks, eyes wide.

"Of course I would" he ruffles her hair, "you were quite the hero today and you deserve better than this shit food" he says, using her earlier words.

Lexa's grin grows, "thank you, Gustus"

"Don't thank me, kiddo" he tells her, "you've helped me more than you can imagine" he gets up to leave the room.

"Thank you" Clarke tells him before he leaves the room and he nods in response, closing the door quietly behind him.

Lexa tries to sit up but lays right back down when the action causes a sharp pain to erupt in her lower stomach. She hisses at the pain.

"Don't move too much, baby" Clarke tells her, brushing a strand of hair behind the brunette's ear, "did you want something?"

"Just water" Lexa answers, looking at the water bottle at the foot of the bed.

Clarke gets up and walks around the bed before picking up the water bottle and handing it to her girlfriend, "here you go, baby" she smiles as Lexa takes big gulps of water, wiping at her face afterwards because a few drops have dribbled down her chin.

"Thank you" the brunette smiles and places the water bottle next to herself on the bed.

Clarke settles once more on the bed, her arm draped over Lexa's shoulder. The silence is broken once she speaks again.

"I think I know what I want to do about my mother"

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Jake asks, needing to make sure.

Clarke nods, "it is, dad"

"Lexa?" the man turns to the other girl.

Lexa nods as well, "if this is what Clarke wants, then this is what we will do" she tells him, smiling discretly at her girlfriend.

"Do you need time to prepare what you're going to say or should I call Abby inside now?" he says, handing her a copy of the divorce papers which Clarke has requested previously.

"You can call her inside" Clarke says, not wanting to wait to do this.

She takes a deep breath and waits until the door opens again, this time revealing not only her father but also her mother. The older woman's eyes shift to Lexa when she enters the room and you could almost see a hint of regret in her brown eyes upon seeing the girl laying in a hospital bed.

"What did you want to talk about, Clarke?" the woman hesitantly asks.

Clarke scoffs, "talk isn't exactly the word I would use but whatever" she brushes it off, picking up the divorce papers, "Nia's about to be in jail but I think you know that already. I also think you know that means your fate is on the line and I'm sorry to inform you that we hold all the cards here so it would probably be in your best interest to do as we wish" she goes straight to the point.

"W...what? Clarke, I don't-"

She doesn't have time to protest before the divorce papers are shoved in her face by a very angry Clarke.

"You're going to sign those papers and resign from the position as headsurgeon"

"Clarke-" Abby starts, terrified at the prospect of losing everything she's worked so hard for.

"I'm not finished" Clarke interrupts, "you brought this upon yourself. Consider yourself lucky your medical license isn't being revoked" she adds, "you will then move away and disappear from our lives completely. I do not want to see or hear from you ever again" Abby tries to argue but is stopped by a raise of hand from Clarke, "Nia Queen will most likely come after you and I don't think it would be beneficial for you to decline such a request from us"

Abby's mouth opens and closes a few times, no sound coming out. Eventually, her shoulders drop and she sighs, knowing there is no point in trying to argue anymore. She takes the divorce papers, clicks her pen and signs them, her eyes tearing up as she does so.

"I'm sorry" she quietly says before placing the papers on the bed and leaving the room.

Clarke's confident mask shatters as the door closes behind her mother. She lets herself fall onto a chair next to the bed, sighing heavily. Lexa's hand comes to grab her own and her father places his hand on her shoulder in a reassuring move, "you did what was needed" he tells her, "I'm proud of you"

"Thanks, dad" she smiles up at him and he smiles back before leaving the room.

Lexa turns to look at her girlfriend, "are you okay?" she asks, brushing her thumb over the blonde's knuckles.

Clarke nods and moves to lay on the bed once again, "I am" she smiles a bit.

Lexa then smirks, "it was really sexy" she comments, referring to the way Clarke got her mom to agree to their terms.

"Yeah?" Clarke asks, one eyebrow raised.

Lexa nods, "yeah" she confirms, "If I wasn't injured, I'm sure I'd prove to you how sexy I think it was" she casually says, smirking.

Clarke's jaw drops, not having expected that coming from Lexa's mouth, "can you heal faster please? Because I'd like to put that theory to the test"

Lexa laughs and leaves a kiss on Clarke's jaw, "I think you'll have to wait a little while" she tells her, "sorry"

"I'm just glad you're safe now" Clarke says, brushing her thumb over Lexa's cheek, "you are so strong" she whispers.

"So are you" Lexa whispers back, taking hold of Clarke's hand so she can play with the blonde's fingers, a comfortable silence settling in.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

Anya knocks on the open door with her finger then walks inside the room, holding a bouquet of bright flowers, "can I sit?" she motions to the edge of the bed.

Lexa nods and Clarke excuses herself out of the room to leave her girlfriend and Anya alone for a minute. As soon as the blonde has left, shooting one last smile at the brunette, Anya scoots a bit closer, placing the flowers on the nightstand before placing a comforting hand on Lexa's thigh.

"Lexa-"

"I know" Lexa interrupts her, "I know it was stupid of me to think I could defeat an armed man all alone" she sighs.

"This isn't what I wanted to say" Anya says, "I was actually going to tell you that I'm glad you're okay. I don't even want to imagine what I would have done if you weren't"

Lexa's eyebrows shoot up to her hairline, not used to the older girl acting so sentimental, "aren't you going to scold me for acting so irrationally?"

Anya shakes her head with a small laugh, "well, it was pretty reckless of you but I heard you managed to get a few hits on him" she says, patting Lexa's knee over the covers.

"I did, didn't I?" Lexa says proudly, smiling brightly.

Anya nods, smiling softly, "but please, do not pull any stunts like that one again. I don't want my favorite student to get injured any further"

Lexa lets a smug smile appear on her lips at the older girl's admission, "I knew I was your favorite" she gloats, her smile never faltering.

"Don't look so smug" Anya tells her, unable to stop her grin from breaking free at the satisfied look on Lexa's face, "and get some rest" she adds, "I need you up and running as quickly as possible"

"I will" Lexa smiles brightly, saluting.

Anya moves to ruffle her hair, "get well soon, little commander. The gym feels lonely without you there"

Lexa nods, "thanks, Anya" she quietly says.

"What for?"

"Being here" Lexa responds, "not just now but during practice as well. I haven't had many people who care that much about me in my life and it truly means a lot to me to know that I can count on you" she opens up.

"Always, kiddo" Anya promises, "you can always count on me" she gets up from the bed, "I should go because I can see Clarke getting angsty to come back in" she gestures at the ajar door from which you can see Clarke pacing unpatiently.

Lexa chuckles and thanks the woman once more before the latter walks out and is replaced by Clarke, "what did she want to say?"

"It's a secret" Lexa traps her tongue between her teeth as she grins. Clarke huffs but accepts it as an answer, reclaiming her spot on the bed, snuggling close to her girlfriend.

 

 

\------------------------

 

 

Later that night, as promised, Gustus comes back and drops a home-made meal in front of Lexa. The girl nearly moans at the sight and at the smell of lasagna. It definitely changes from the crappy meal she has been served earlier today. She thanks the man around a billion times before accepting the plastic fork and knife offered by Clarke and diving in, taking her first bite. This time she definitely lets out a moan of contentment.

"This is the best lasagna I have ever eaten" she compliments, already stuffing her mouth with more.

"I'll pass your compliment onto Cynthia" Gustus smiles, "I cannot take the credit for the amazing meals she cooks"

"I might come over to your house and steal some of your food sometime" Lexa says as she eats.

"Baby, don't speak while your mouth is full" Clarke says, picking up a napkin to wipe at the tomato sauce that ended up on Lexa's chin.

Lexa swallows down the food before speaking, "sorry, mom" she grins.

Clarke laughs and goes to throw the napkin in a trashcan, "thank you for stopping by" she tells Gustus, "you didn't have to"

"Oh, it's nothing" he assures her, "I wanted to" he smiles at them, "besides, this little champion needs to fill her belly with some quality food, ain't that right?"

Lexa nods, smiling as she munches happily on her lasagna, "he's right" she says after having swallowed down the food.

Clarke laughs, "of course you would think that" she shakes her head, looking fondly at her girlfriend.

"It's getting late so I'm going to go back home. Goodnight, girls" he dips his head in goodbye before closing the door behind him.

"I love him" Lexa says when she hears the soft click of the door.

"Do you love him solely because he brought you food?" Clarke asks, smiling.

Lexa lets out a laugh, "well, it definitely plays a big part in it but I also think he's an amazing guy"

Clarke hums, "I agree" she nods, "he's been friends with my dad for so long and we used to see him all the time. I had really missed him over the last few months..." she adds, a nostalgic tone in her voice.

Lexa grabs her hand and draws circles on her skin with her thumb, "he's here now and you get to catch up on all the things you have missed with him" she tells her, always one to see the positive aspect of things.

"It feels weird" Clarke says quietly after a few seconds of silence.

"What does?"

"Not having to worry about Nia...or my mom" the blonde clarifies, "it's almost too good to be true, you know"

Lexa hums, lifting Clarke's hand to her lips so she can press a kiss on the back of it, "you should eat" she tells the blonde, "you haven't eaten anything since you got here" she hands her fork to her girlfriend.

"Oh, it's fine" Clarke shakes her head, "this is your dinner. You should finish it"

Lexa keeps the fork in the air, "I won't take no for an answer" she says, "so come here and eat some" she pats the space next to her.

Clarke laughs and sits next to Lexa, accepting the fork before stabbing into a piece of lasagna, "thank you" she murmurs before bringing the food to her mouth.

Lexa smiles and reaches for a napkin, handing it to the blonde in case she needs it. She watches in silence as Clarke resumes eating, sometimes stopping to let Lexa eat some as well.

"I want to take you somewhere once you're all healed up" Clarke tells the brunette.

"Where?"

"It's a surprise" Clarke smirks, wiping at her mouth with the napkin before getting up to throw it in the trashcan and put the plate away. Lexa huffs but doesn't argue, already trying to figure out where the blonde wants to take her.

"Finals are coming up" Clarke reminds her with a small sigh, "I kind of forgot with everything going on lately"

"I'm sure it will be okay" Lexa says, sensing her girlfriend's nervousness.

"Do you think you could help me study?" the blonde asks, knowing there are still a few things she needs to have explained to her in order to be ready.

"Of course" Lexa smiles at her, "anything for you" she adds.

A fluttering feeling erupts in Clarke's chest, "anything?"

Lexa hums, nodding, "yeah" she confirms.

"Good to know" Clarke drops her head on Lexa's shoulder, eyelids becoming heavier by the second.

"Sleep" Lexa says, seeing her girlfriend's drooping eyelids. It isn't exactly late but the day has been pretty exhausting for the both of them.

They both move a bit until they're laying on their backs, Clarke's legs tangled with Lexa's as their faces rest inches apart.

"Goodnight, Clarke" Lexa whispers.

"Goodnight, baby" Clarke whispers back, pressing one last kiss on Lexa's nose before letting sleep take her.

This is how Jake finds them when he comes back inside the room later, exhausted but glad he can finally put this behind him. He smiles at the sight and goes to sit on the chair next to the hospital bed. Although not as comfortable as a bed, it is the next best thing to sleep in and he doesn't want to leave the two girls alone tonight.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

Clarke wakes up to the sound of the tv playing at a low volume in the room, her father's eyes fixed on the screen. On it, footage of Nia being interrogated by journalists as she is escorted by the police.

"Hey, dad" Clarke says in a hoarsy voice as she rubs the sleep off her eyes.

Jake is startled by the sound of her voice, "sorry for waking you up, sweetheart"

Clarke waves her hand dismissively, "it's fine" she tells him, "what's going on?" she nods at the screen.

Jake sighs, "Nia's hearing was this morning. They wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible"

"Did she say anything about mom?" Clarke asks, curious.

Despite the resentment she carries for her mother, deep down she hopes the woman won't be convicted for Nia's actions. Her offer yesterday was her way of giving her mother a way out, a chance at starting new, away from all of this while insuring she, her father and Lexa could go back to a normal life, or as normal as it can get.

"Surprisingly, she hasn't mentioned your mom's name. She seems to have accepted her fate" Jake says, confused but pleased by this turn of events.

"Good....I mean, that's good, right?" Clarke asks, confused as to how she's supposed to feel about the news.

Jake smiles sadly and moves closer to the bed, "I know that what your mother has done wasn't okay but it's normal that you still wish for her to get away without any charges"

"It is?"

Jake nods, "she's still your mother and she used to be a loving mother. You have kept some memories of that and I think we both hoped for that woman to return despite the unlikeliness of it happening" he pats her leg, "now, it's just you and me" he tells her, "and Lexa" he adds, looking at the brunette's sleeping figure.

Clarke nods, following her dad's gaze, "I really love her, dad" she says quietly.

Jake smiles, "I know, sweetheart, I know" he says, "I love her too" he then adds.

Movement on her left diverts Clarke's attention away from her father and she looks to her side to see Lexa's eyelids fluttering open, revealing emerald green eyes. Jake gets up and goes to leave the room to get them all some breakfast, turning off the tv as he goes.

"Hey, baby" Clarke brushes a strand of hair away from the brunette's face, "how are you feeling?"

Lexa blinks a few times, her eyes falling onto the blonde beauty next to her, "I feel fine" she smiles at Clarke, "can we go home?"

Clarke's heart flutters at Lexa's use of the word _'home'_ to describe their house. She nods, "as soon as the doctor gave you the permission to leave. I'm going to go get him, stay here" she instructs.

Lexa chuckles, "where would I go?" she asks, motioning to the hospital bed she's currently stuck in.

Clarke smiles brightly and leaves the room to go get the doctor in charge of Lexa. They come back a few minutes later, the doctor discharging Lexa and telling her to be careful with her injury, recommending her to not move too much, sport being obviously banned for at least the next two weeks.

"I feel like I'm rediscovering the world" Lexa says as she steps outside.

Clarke laughs, "you've been in the hospital for less than twenty-four hours, baby" she points out, linking her fingers with the brunette's.

Lexa smiles, "that was too long" she says, swinging their hands between them as she picks up her pace and walks fast towards the car.

She is stopped in her steps by a tugging on her hand. She looks behind to see Clarke shaking her head with a smile, "slow down, Lex" the blonde tells her, "we have all the time in the world"

"Not really" Lexa points out, "tomorrow's Thursday and we have school"

Clarke sighs, "we could skip school" she suggests though, considering the slight raise of Lexa's eyebrow, the brunette isn't very enthusiastic about the idea.

"We can't, Clarke" she says, "finals are just around the corner and we missed class today" she reasons.

Clarke's lips form a pout but she ends up nodding, knowing her girlfriend is right, "then you better hug me lots once we're home" she tells the brunette.

Lexa's smile widens, "it will be my pleasure" she brings their linked hands to her lips to kiss the back of the blonde's hand.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

"We have to get up and study" Lexa says, moving away from the loose hold Clarke has on her waist, the blonde's arms barely pressing against her stomach, ever so mindful of the wound on it.

"Noooo" Clarke whines, opening her arms, "come back" she mumbles.

Lexa smiles and is tempted to do just that but then her mind reminds her of all the work they have to accomplish and that is enough to keep her focused on the task. She moves closer to the bed and very slowly bends forward to leave a kiss on Clarke's nose, then on her lips, kissing her chastely, "come on, sleepyhead" she shakes the blonde.

Clarke cracks her eyes open and they widen when she sees Lexa's position, "baby, don't bend forward like that" she tells the brunette, "you risk to aggravate the injury" she lifts the brunette's shirt and breathes a sigh of relief when she sees that the wound hasn't reopened itself.

"I'm not that fragile, Clarke" Lexa says, frowning, "I won't break with every movement I make" she crosses her arms in front of her chest.

Clarke sighs, rubbing a hand on her face, "I know, Lex...I'm sorry, it's just that I care about you and I'm worried..." she shrugs sadly.

Lexa's eyes soften and she sits next to the blonde, placing her hand over the girl's, "I know but I'm okay. I promise"

Clarke nods and turns her head slightly to leave a delicate kiss on Lexa's cheek, "let's just do our homework. And you can explain to me all the things I don't understand" she suggests.

Lexa nods and gets up, stopped by Clarke pulling on her hand. She turns around with furrowed eyebrows, "what-"

Soft lips press against her own in a slow kiss, Clarke's free hand coming up to cup her cheek while her thumb brushes over it, "I love you" the blonde whispers when they pull back.

Lexa blinks a few times, her mind registering with the words uttered, "I love you too" she replies, smiling softly at her girlfriend. She still gets shivers running down her body whenever she is reminisced in one way or another that Clarke is her girlfriend and that the blonde loves her.

Clarke smiles back and goes to sit on a chair, pulling another one out so that Lexa can take a seat as well. She pulls out their books and turns them at the indicated page, already groaning at the sight of trigonometry.

"Ugh, why is trigonometry even a thing?" she asks after a few minutes of being blocked on the same exercise.

She looks to her right and sees that Lexa has already completed it and is already three exercises ahead of her. Her head falls onto her arms which were crossed over the desk.

Lexa looks at Clarke with a sympathetic smile, "maybe I can explain it to you?" she offers, "if you want"

Clarke raises her head and nods, showing the exercise in question to her girlfriend. Lexa hums and nods, comparing her solution to the way Clarke tried to solve it, "yeah, I see where it went wrong" she says.

She starts explaining to the blonde how to solve it, taking the time to explain each step in details, knowing that the main issue with their new math teacher is that he tends to go over things too quickly, not bothering to fully explain the process which leaves more than one student confused. Clarke nods along to Lexa's explanations, sometimes stopping the girl to explain again a part she misunderstood. After ten minutes of clear and thorough explanations, Clarke finally feels like she understands how to solve it.

"You are so smart" she praises Lexa, brushing a strand of hair behind the brunette's ear, "so smart" she repeats, looking at the brunette in complete awe.

Lexa chuckles nervously, not used to getting praised about her intelligence, "thanks" she slightly brushes off the compliment, picking up her pen to continue their homework.

"I mean it" Clarke insists, "I know I always tell you how beautiful you are and that's true but what I admire the most about you is how truly intelligent you are" she speaks honestly.

The movement of Lexa's hand stops, the pencil unmoving on the paper, as she slowly turns her head towards Clarke, seeing nothing but honesty in ocean blue eyes, "...I...thank you" she thanks the blonde, a warm feeling akin to pride erupting inside her chest.

"Has no one ever told you that before?"

"Besides you? Not really..." Lexa admits, "my father used to say that I would forever be stupid because we couldn't afford to get me an education"

Clarke frowns, "did he not know how hard you worked to teach yourself everything there is to know?" she questions.

Lexa looks away, "he did....he just thought it woulf never equate the education I would have gotten if I were in school" she shrugs.

"That's nonsense" Clarke says, frustration growing at the brunette's father's refusal to acknowledge how amazing his daughter is, "you're way smarter than all the people at school" she says, gently grabbing the girl's chin to make her look at her, "you're the smartest person I know and the fact that you're self-taught makes it even more amazing in my eyes"

Lexa lets the hint of a smile escape and she lets her forehead rest against the blonde's, "I am so in love with you" she murmurs quietly.

"I'm in love with you too" Clarke whispers back, never tiring of saying it.

She connects their lips in the softest, most delicate kiss before pulling away with a smile and picking up her pen to complete the rest of their homework. She takes advantage of the fact she is left-handed to link her fingers with Lexa's as she writes down the exercise.

An hour later, they've both finished their homework (Lexa won't mention that she has completed it thirty minutes ago) and they lay silently on the bed. Clarke rolls on her side and lifts her girlfriend's shirt, revealing the bandages covering the slowly healing wound. Clarke is amazed that not once has Lexa complained about the pain she has surely felt following the surgery.

In a way, she isn't surprised because it isn't like Lexa to feel sorry for herself but on the other hand, she wishes Lexa wouldn't keep herself from saying how she feels so that she can maybe try and make it better for the brunette.

"Are you okay?" she quietly asks, fingers tracing ever so gently over the bandages.

Lexa nods, "I am" she answers, "why wouldn't I be?"

Clarke sighs and drops her hand on Lexa's stomach, "does it hurt?" she nods to the injury.

Lexa looks down at the bandages, "well....sometimes yeah, but...I mean, it's not that bad" she stammers out, not wanting Clarke to worry too much about it, "I can handle it"

"It doesn't mean you should handle it alone" Clarke counters.

"I'm fine" Lexa says, "really"

Clarke nods and lets the topic drop. For now. She puts her head on Lexa's chest, listening to the steady rhythm of the girl's heartbeat, "you'll tell me if you're in too much pain, right?"

Lexa stays silent for a for a few seconds before nodding, "I promise"

Clarke hums, content with that answer. After some time, she notices that Lexa's breathing has evened out. Not being tired herself, she decides to get up quietly to take her sketchbook and draw a little to distract herself. It is no surprise when instinctively, she draws a sharp jawline and plump lips.

After about half an hour, she catches some movement from the corner of her eyes and hears some mumbling. She raises her eyes from her drawing and sees Lexa, shifting in the bed, eyes tightly shut and eyebrows furrowed as a slim bead of sweat rolls down her forehead.

_"No, no"_ Lexa mumbles through her sleep.

Clarke gets up, putting her sketchbook aside and goes over to the bed to try and shake the brunette from her nightmare. She places a hand on Lexa's shoulder and is about to call her name when the girl shoots up from the bed, startling Clarke.

The sudden movement causes pain to erupt in Lexa's side and her face turns into a scowl as she places a hand over the bandages while trying to regain a steady breathing.

"It's okay" Clarke cradles her face, holding her close, "you're okay" she adds, rocking them.

Lexa looks around, alarmed and she grips Clarke's shirt tightly in her fists, breathing erratically. It takes a few minutes for the brunette to calm down but her fists keep holding onto Clarke's shirt.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Clarke gently asks, making it clear that Lexa doesn't have to tell her if she doesn't wish to.

"I...I want to tell you" Lexa says as she pulls away before falling silent again, her thoughts running wild inside her mind.

"It's okay" Clarke whispers, "take all the time you need" she starts drawing circles with her fingers on Lexa's back, waiting for the girl to be ready to speak.

Green meets blue and Lexa takes a big breath and shakily releases the air before she starts speaking, recounting her nightmare to the blonde.

 

_I am walking down the street. The same cold, empty street I was walking down when I was attacked yesterday. I feel a presence behind me. I turn around and I am met with nothing but empty air. I want to run but my feet simply won't move. My head is screaming at me to go faster, to escape this repeat of yesterday's events but I cannot get my legs to obey._

_My body moves on its own as I step to the right, avoiding the blade. I cannot control it when I kick the knife out of my attacker's hand. That's when I get to see his face for the first time but it isn't the face of the man who attacked me yesterday. The eyes looking back at me aren't brown and cold anymore. They are now green and filled with uncontained anger._

_I stare at my father in shock, barely registering him crouching down to pick up the knife. I cannot move a single muscle in my body as he stalks towards me, his mouth opening to spew insult after insult at my face._

_"You're good for nothing!" he shouts, his voice louder than I expected it to be._

_I try to place my hands over my ears and to slam my eyes shut to close myself to his hatred but I can't._

_"You just had to be a freaking dyke! All we ever asked of you is for you to be a good daughter but you couldn't even do that!" he kicks me in the stomach, sending me to the ground.  
_

_I try to scream for help as he moves closer to me, the knife held tightly in his hand, pointed at me. Tears are streaming down my face in an endless flow. He holds the knife over my powerless figure. My whole body trembles in fear._

_Before he can do anything, a loud voice makes itself heard. My eyes widen when I recognizes Clarke's voice. I try to scream at her to stay away, to not come any closer but my voice comes out as a whisper._

_"No...Clarke..." I say through my tears._

_I watch as my father looks up and smirks devilishely. His attention shifts from me to Clarke. I scream at him to take me instead but he won't listen. I look behind me and see Clarke, running towards us. She falters in her steps when she sees my tears and frowns. I try my hardest to get my body to respond but an invisible force holds me down._

_"No..." my voice cracks and my eyes fill with more tears as I watch helplessly my father fastly approaching Clarke._

_Clarke's eyes widen when her eyes catch sight of the shining object in my father's hand. She takes a step back in fear and I breathe a sigh of relief, thinking she'll maybe get a chance to escape._

_My father is too quick. He kicks her in the knee and she falls to the ground. I let out a pained sob when he starts repeatedly kicking her in the stomach. He then crouches down next to her, tapping his knife against his chin before looking at me with a smirk that sends chills down my back, "so that's her" he says, "she's the one who turned you into that dyke"_

_"No...please..." I beg him, trying to get up to no avail._

_I cannot do anything but watch as he raises his hand, knife clutched in it and as he swiftly brings down the blade. I let out a piercing scream and everything disappears before the blade makes contact with Clarke's body._

_I wake up to a bright room, Clarke next to me._

 

"I thought...I thought I lost you" Lexa's voice breaks as she utters the words.

"I'm here" Clarke whispers, leaning her forehead against Lexa's, "I'm not going anywhere"

Lexa nods ever so slightly and presses her lips against Clarke's. Her eyes stay closed even after pulling away because she fears that if she opens them, it will all turn out to be an illusion and Clarke will be gone again.

"Lexa" Clarke softly calls, "look at me" she demands, bringing one hand to cup Lexa's cheek.

Lexa slowly opens her eyes and sighs in relief when she sees that Clarke is safe and sound, here with her.

"I hope what I'm going to say isn't going to make you mad but...don't you think you need some sort of closure with your parents? Maybe talking with them one last time could be beneficial?"

Lexa remains silent, weighing the blonde's words, "I don't know, Clarke..."

"Just...think about it, alright?" the blonde suggests.

Lexa nods, her hands falling into her lap, pulling Clarke's hands with hers to play with the blonde's fingers, "okay" she simply says.

 

 


	19. "Lexa?"

 

 

It has been a few days and things are slowly coming back to normal or as normal as they can be. Lexa has been healing quickly and the only trace left of her injury is the small scar that litters the side of her waist.

Clarke comes to sit on the bed, right next to Lexa. She lifts the girl's shirt and bends forward to press her lips against the scar. This is something the blonde has done a couple times in the past few days but it still causes Lexa's heart to miss a beat.

Lexa tries to push her shirt down, "it's ugly" she mumbles, looking away.

Clarke shakes her head and continues kissing along the length of the scar, "it's beautiful" she counters, "it shows how truly brave and strong you are" she murmurs against the brunette's skin.

Lexa gently grabs the blonde's face and brings her up to press her lips against the girl's, "I love you" she whispers.

"I love you too" Clarke smiles widely, "and I promised I would take you somewhere once you're all healed up so go get changed" she pats her thigh before getting up.

Lexa narrows her eyes, trying to figure out where they're going but she knows asking would be useless because Clarke would never tell her. She simply gets up and puts on black jeans, a white shirt and a red flannel.

"Ready?" Clarke asks, grabbing Lexa's hand.

The brunette nods in answer and they head outside before getting into Clarke's car. It is a ten minute drive and eventually Clarke pulls to a stop on the top of a hill.

"This might seem really cliche to you and if you don't like the idea we can drive somewhere else but I....I wanted to bring you here so we could maybe watch the stars and just...forget about everything for a few moments"

Lexa's eyes soften and she slowly walks towards a suddenly very nervous Clarke. She moves her arms to circle around the blonde's waist, holding her tightly against herself, "it's perfect" she whispers into Clarke's neck, "thank you"

Clarke nods against her shoulder, "anything for you" she murmurs, shifting her head to leave a delicate kiss on the skin of Lexa's neck.

She starts to pull away from the embrace but Lexa's arms tighten around her waist, "stay" the brunette mumbles into her neck and she happily does so, holding Lexa in her arms for as long as the girl wants.

Once they break apart, Clarke rummages through the trunk and retrieves a blanket and some sandwiches that she's made in case they were hungry at some point. She lays on the blanket and Lexa goes to lay next to her, their fingers intertwined between their two bodies. Quiet fills the space as they sliently stare at the dark, starry sky.

"I don't actually know anything about astrology" Clarke admits, looking up at the sky, "I wish I did, though because then I could impress you with my knowledge" she turns her head to the side and smiles at Lexa.

Lexa smiles back and looks up to the sky, raising a finger to point at the sky, "this is Cassiopeia" she says, "it is next to Andromeda and Cepheus" she then tells the blonde, pointing at each star respectively.

Clarke follows the brunette's finger, listening intently to the girl's explanations, in awe of just how much Lexa knows about it.

"Cassiopeia was a queen in the Greek mythology. Andromeda was her daughter and Cepheus was her husband" she turns to admire Clarke's features in the soft light of the night.

"What's their story?" Clarke whispers, her interest rising.

"The legend says that Cassiopeia was very vain and claimed to be more beautiful than the sea nymphs which were called the Nereids. The sea nymphs took it as an offense and they asked Poseidon, the God of the sea, to make Cassiopeia pay for it"

She stops speaking shortly to trace her finger down Clarke's jawline, brushing her thumb over the blonde's lips, "and then what?" Clarke murmurs, eyes shifting between Lexa's eyes and her lips.

"Poseidon sent a monster to ravage the coast of the king and queen's lands and her and her husband decided to offer their daugter in sacrifice to appease the monster, chaining her to a rock" she continues, "the daughter was rescued by Perseus, the son of Zeus, and it says that Cassiopeia was condemned to be chained and to rotate around the celestial north pole. Around the North star, in other words" she clarifies before pointing at a bright star with her index finger, "that's this one. And a bit further you have Cassiopeia in the form of a W" she traces the outline of the constellation in the air.

"You know so many things" Clarke whispers in complete awe.

Lexa shrugs, "I read a lot of books" she gives as an explanation, "and the greek mythology fascinates me" she reveals, smiling.

"Yeah?" Clarke says, "could you tell me another story?" she asks, already loving listening to the way Lexa recounts myths.

Lexa nods and thinks for a few seconds, "you know of the Orion belt, right?" she asks. Clarke nods, "there are different versions of the myth of Orion"

Clarke places a kiss on her lips, unable to resist the temptation, "sorry" she smiles sheepishly, "please, continue"

Lexa smiles and resumes speaking, "In one of them, he is the son of a famous amazone huntress and inherited her talent for hunting. His pretention caused him to say he could defeat any animal on earth and led him to be fatally stung by a scorpion"

"And what's the other version?" Clarke asks, her fingers coming up to play with brown curls.

"In the other version, he fell in love with Apollo's sister, the huntress Diana who is called Artemis in the Greek mythology. Artemis was a virgin and Apollo wanted it to remain this way so he did what he could to eliminate the threat that was Orion. One day as Orion was swimming far away in the ocean, only his head above the water, Apollo challenged his sister to hit the small black dot in the ocean. She unknowingly fatally hit Orion with an arrow and after many tears, she placed him in the sky, amongst the stars" she finishes.

"Those stories always end badly" Clarke pouts.

Lexa laughs, "it's mythology" she shrugs, "it's supposed to deliver some kind of messages, warnings" she tells the blonde, "that's why happy endings are rare and pretty much inexistent"

Clarke smiles at how passionate Lexa seems about the topic.

"I'm sorry" Lexa apologizes, "I've been talking a lot. I'm just very passionate about it" she blushes.

Clarke places the palm of her hand on Lexa's cheek, thumb brushing against it, "I love listening to you talk about those things" she whispers before joining their lips in a soft kiss.

Lexa sits up and takes Clarke's hand in hers. The blonde's eyebrows furrow when she sees the serious expression on Lexa's features.

"What's wrong, baby?" she sits up as well, squeezing Lexa's hand.

The brunette wordlessly pulls Clarke closer and into her lap and she stares into soft blue eyes, "Clarke, I...nevermind" she instantly backtracks, shaking her head.

Clarke cups her cheeks, "tell me"

"But you...you said we were here to forget about everything and I don't want to ruin that..."

"Tell me" Clarke reiterates before briefly kissing Lexa's lips, "whatever it is, I want to know if there is something bothering you"

Lexa sees nothing but honesty in Clarke's eyes and she slowly nods, her hands settling on Clarke's hips as she rearranged her thoughts before speaking, "I don't think I'm ready to face my parents again" she quickly says before looking up, vulnerability written into her eyes, "I just...I know it could help but I'm just...not ready" she concludes.

Clarke leaves a chaste kiss on plump lips, "and that's completely okay" she whispers, "all I want is for you to feel comfortable and if you feel that you're not ready, then we'll wait until you are. Just know that I will be right here with you every step of the way"

Lexa leans her forehead against Clarke's, "I love you" she whispers, "I really, really love you" her voice cracks on the last words and she only now notices the silent tears streaming down her face.

"Hey, hey" Clarke cups her cheeks, "it's okay" she murmurs soothingly, "it's gonna be okay"

Clarke is confused as to why exactly the brunette is crying. She has a general idea but the specific reason itself escapes her grasp.

"I don't want anything to happen to you" Lexa says through her tears.

 ** _Oh, so that's why,_ ** Clarke thinks to herself, "nothing bad will happen to me, Lex" she promises though she knows the future isn't something either of them can predict, "I'm not leaving your side"

Lexa grips Clarke's shirt in her fists and holds on tightly to it. She buries her face into Clarke's neck and inahles the faint scent of vanilla that always surrounds the blonde.

She pulls away after a few minutes and notices the damp spot on Clarke's shirt on the area of the girl's shoulder, "sorry about your shirt" she gestures at it bashfully.

Clarke frowns and looks down to see what Lexa's talking about, "it's nothing" she shrugs, "are you okay?" she gently asks, tucking a strand of hair behind Lexa's ear.

Lexa nods and sniffles, "sorry for ruining this date" she mumbles in shame, eyes downcast.

"You didn't ruin it" Clarke counters, "far from it" she reassures the brunette and pulls her in for a hug that lasts longer than they both expected but neither has the heart to pull away.

 

 

\--------------------------

 

 

Clarke laughs when she sees that Lexa has mayonnaise smeared on her chin, "how do you always end up making a mess when you eat?" she chuckles, grabbing a napkin to wipe at the brunette's mouth and chin, "here you go, baby" she pecks the brunette's lips and sits back down.

Lexa blushes and smiles ever so slightly, taking another bite of her sandwich, this time being mindful to not put sauce everywhere. She smiles brightly at Clarke when she finishes eating her sandwich without making a mess once more.

Clarke shakes her head with a smile, "you're adorable" she says, getting up to throw the paper bags in the nearest trashcan.

Just as she is about to fold the blanket to put it back in her car, her phone vibrates with an incoming call. She fishes her phone out of her pocket and smiles upon reading Raven's name.

"Hey, Rae" she greets the girl, "what's up?" she asks.

She hears Raven sigh on the other end and frowns. It isn't like Raven to sound so unenthusiastic, _"we heard from your father about what happened to Lexa. We're sorry for_ _prying but we saw Lexa limp a bit at school today and we were a bit worried..."_ she reveals, _"are you two okay?"_

"As okay as we can be after all of this" Clarke sighs. She shoots Lexa a small smile and mouths _'Raven'_ at the brunette before focusing back on the call, "Lexa is...she is dealing with this incredibly well" she reveals, "she is just so brave, Rae, but I just wish she wouldn't have to go through all of this" she sighs deeply and watches as Lexa gestures to her that she'll get inside the car already. She nods at her girlfriend, silently telling her to go ahead.

 _"I know, Clarke"_ Raven says on the other end, _"but she'll get through it. Like you said, she's strong. You both are"_ she tells the blonde, _"if you guys need anything, anything at_ _all, feel free to ask"_

"Thanks, Rae" Clarke smiles, "I should go. Lexa's waiting for me inside the car"

 _"Did I interrupt some car sex?"_ Raven's usual teasing tone is back and Clarke rolls her eyes.

"No" she dryly says, "have a goodnight, Rae"

 _"You two, Clarkey"_ Raven says, _"and don't forget to use a condom!"_ she yells right before the communication cuts. Clarke chuckles to herself, thanking the heavens for having such great friends. She puts her phone back inside her pocket and joins her girlfriend inside the car.

"Was that Raven?" Lexa asks.

Clarke nods, "yeah, yeah that was her" she confirms, "she simply wanted to tell us we could count on her and Luna should we need anything" she smiles at Lexa and puts the key in the ignition.

"They're amazing" Lexa breathes out.

"They really are" Clarke agrees, starting the car to complete the drive back home.

Once they get home, they immediately get ready for bed and slip under the covers, exhausted from the day they've had. They both fall asleep quickly, legs tangled together.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

The month of June started a few days ago and with it came the start of studying for finals. Their first exam is already next week and then they have at least one exam each day. Clarke sighs as she closes her chemistry notebook and lets her head drop in her hands, "my head is killing me" she mutters, feeling the start of a strong headache.

Lexa gets up from her position on the bed and she slides a chair next to Clarke so she can sit at the desk as well. She cups Clarke's cheeks and leaves a lingering kiss on the blonde's forehead, "why don't we take a break, huh?" she suggests, "you've been working for two hours and I think you should give a rest to that beautiful brain of yours"

Clarke looks up and slowly nods, lips pulled downwards and eyebrows furrowed, "I'm never going to pass those finals" she mutters sadly when she gets up from her chair and goes to sit on the bed instead.

Lexa shakes her head and drops to her knees on the floor in front of Clarke, "of course you will pass them" she argues, rubbing circles with her thumbs on the blonde's knees.

"I'm not crazy smart like you" Clarke points out, "I'm just....average" her shoulders slump a bit and her gaze falls to her hands in her lap, picking at a loose strand of her jeans.

Lexa frowns and shakes her head, "you're far from average. You're so smart and you don't realize it. School doesn't test how smart you are. It tests your ability to memorize information for a short period of time which is pretty damn stupid if you ask me" she says, "but Clarke...you're not average" she repeats, "you're special" she whispers the last part.

Clarke looks up through uncertain eyes, "that's so sweet of you to say but...I need to be smart school-wise too if I want to move forward..." she dejectedly says, tears of frustration escaping her eyes.

"Hey, hey, don't cry" Lexa brushes the tears away with her thumbs before pressing a kiss to each of Clarke's cheeks, "I'll help you" she tells the blonde before leaving the softest kiss on pink lips.

Clarke nods and Lexa moves to sit next to her on the bed before pulling Clarke with herself further up the bed so they can both lay down for a little while. She brings one hand to stroke Clarke's hair. Clarke hums in contentment and buries herself further against Lexa, getting as close as possible to her girlfriend. She feels her whole body relax when strong arms wrap around her body, holding her close.

"Did you really mean what you said earlier?" she quietly asks.

"About you being special?" she gets a nod of confirmation, "I meant every word" she murmurs, tightening her arms around the blonde.

Clarke smiles and drops her head on Lexa's chest, craning her neck to kiss the brunette's jaw, then down her neck until her lips find their home on the girl's pulsepoint.

Lexa lets out a strangled noise when Clarke bites onto the skin of her neck then soothes it with her tongue, "Clarke..." Lexa breathes out.

The blonde doesn't stop her ministrations. She sucks hard on the brunette's collarbone, then pulls away to admire her work. A pink mark is already forming on the brunette's skin and Clarke smirks smugly. She leans down and sinks her teeth into the brunette's bottom lip, tugging at it which draws a moan from the brunette beneath her.

Holding herself up with her forearms, she licks the roof of Lexa's mouth until her tongue is being granted access. Lexa moves her hands to cup Clarke's cheeks, pressing the girl's lips more firmly against hers. She lets her hands slide down Clarke's body and stop at the small of the blonde's back.

Clarke pulls away to look into dark green eyes, nodding ever so perceptively. She then attaches her lips to Lexa's neck, leaving a trail of kisses as she moves down the brunette's body, stopping to tug the collar of her shirt down and suck a light mark on the swell of Lexa's breast. A hand tangles in blonde hair while another slips under Clarke's shirt to slide up and down her back, fingers dragging along the blonde's spine.

Clarke pulls away to sit on her heels and she tugs at the hem of the brunette's shirt, "can I?" she softly asks.

Lexa nods and sits up to allow the blonde to pull her shirt over her head. She guides Clarke into her lap and discards the blonde's shirt as well, leaving them both in their jeans and bras. Lexa grabs her hips and pulls her closer and Clarke groans at the skin to skin contact the action brings. She tangles her hands in brown curls and kisses the brunette eagerly, only stopping to pull down each of their pants and throw them aside before claiming her spot in Lexa's lap once again.

"Your father" Lexa says between kisses, asking a silent question.

"He's at work" Clarke quickly replies before undoing the clasp of her own bra and throwing it aside.

"Fuck" Lexa nearly moans at the sight of firm, round breasts, completely bare for her.

She leans down and takes a stiff nipple between her lips, alternating between sucking it into her mouth and flicking her tongue against it while her other hand moves to fondle Clarke's other breast. The blonde moans and one hand leaves Lexa's hair to claw at the brunette's back.

Lexa slides her hands down to the blonde's ass cheeks, giving them a small squeeze and pulling Clarke closer to herself. As Lexa keeps working on her chest, Clarke's hips start a rolling motion, grinding in the brunette's lap to try and find some friction. Lexa lets out a low growl in the back of her throat and grabs the blonde's hips to stop her motions. Clarke lets out a whine of protest which turns into a moan when Lexa swiftly turns them around, Clarke's back landing onto the mattress.

"That was hot" Clarke breathes out, smiling up at her girlfriend.

Lexa mirrors her smile and starts kissing down Clarke's body, leaving a trail of kisses in the space between the girl's breasts. Her lips stop at the waistband of Clarke's underwear and she hooks her fingers in it, looking up for the blonde's consent. She receives a nod and slides the fabric down smooth legs before moving up Clarke's body once more.

She presses her thigh against the blonde's center and connects their lips. Her thigh meets each of the upwards thrusts of Clarke's hips against it and soon the blonde is moaning and breathing heavily.

She moves her thigh away and swallows down Clarke's whine of protest by pressing her lips against pink ones. She slides her hand down Clarke's body and runs her fingers through Clarle's wet folds.

"You're gorgeous" she whispers against the blonde's lips as she moves her fingers up and down, purposelly avoiding the girl's throbbing clit. Touching everywhere but where the blonde needs her the most.

"Lexa....please" Clarke pleads, hips desperatly rising from the bed as she lets out a desperate whimper.

"Please what?" Lexa smirks before moving her lips to Clarke's jaw.

"Fuck me" Clarke says, causing Lexa to moan against her skin.

Lexa doesn't waste time and she pushes two fingers inside the blonde's, the girl's walls immediately tightening around her fingers. She starts moving in and out while bringing her thumb on Clarke's clit, drawing lazy circles on it. Clarke lets out a series of lewd moans, nails digging into Lexa's shoulders as the brunette brings her closer to her release,

"Lexa...kiss me" she demands, panting heavily.

Lexa obliges and seeks out Clarke's lips as she speeds up her movements. Clarke moans into her mouth, throwing her head back, and Lexa can feel the girl's inner walls start to clamp around her fingers. She curls her fingers and detaches their lips wanting to see it as Clarke's mouth opens and her eyes slam shut, a loud moan escaping pink lips.

She slows down the rhythm of her thrusts and waits until Clarke's body stops trembling before pulling her fingers out. She pecks Clarke's lips and quickly goes inside the bathroom to wet a towel and clean Clarke's nether regions. She then disposes of the towel and slips into bed, next to her girlfriend. She wraps her arms around Clarke's waist, pulling the girl's back against her front.

Clarke mumbles something in her half-asleep state, "what?" Lexa asks, not having heard.

"I didn't return the favor yet" she repeats.

Lexa shakes her head and kisses the blonde's shoulder, "this was about you" she whispers, "no need to return the favor" she ignores the wetness in her own underwear and snuggles closer to her girlfriend, "sleep" she tells her, "I'll help you study when you wake up" Clarke nods and hums slightly, already falling asleep.

Lexa waits until she knows Clarke is asleep before untangling herself from the girl and moving to the bathroom to change her underwear. She then comes back and reclaims her position behind the blonde, cuddling close to her.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

Finals have ended a week ago and students receive their results today. Lexa has already received her results and is now waiting for Clarke to come back from school. She wanted to stay at school and wait with the blonde but her girlfriend told her to just go home to which she reluctantly agreed.

She is startled by the door opening suddenly and she jumps slightly on the bed, "Clarke!" she smiles brightly, "how did it g-"

She doesn't have time to finish her sentence before Clarke pushes her against the mattress and climbs on top of her, claiming her lips in a searing kiss. Her hands fly to the blonde's hips as she returns the unexpected kiss.

She is having difficulties keeping up with Clarke's fast rhythm. Her hands come up to Clarke's shoulder and she gently pushes her away so she can regain her breathing.

"What was that for?" she breathlessly asks, pushing her glasses up her nose.

Clarke smiles, "this" she pecks Lexa's lips, "is because I scored an 84% on my chemistry exam and a 72% on my math exam and it's all thanks to _you"_ she presses a finger against Lexa's chest.

Lexa's eyes widen, "you did?!" she asks excitedly. Clarke nods in confirmation and Lexa throws her arms around her, "I'm so proud of you" she says into the blonde's neck.

"Thank you" Clarke smiles widely, "also I'm so glad you decided to put on your glasses again because you look adorable in them" she taps her index on the bridge of the glasses.

Lexa blushes and readjusts her glasses on her nose once again, "can we go somewhere to celebrate the success of your exams and the start of the holidays?"

Clarke smiles brightly, "I already planned something for us" she reveals.

"What is it?" Lexa asks and Clarke raises an eyebrow, "you're not gonna tell me" the brunette concludes.

"Nope" Clarke replies, popping the _'p'_

"I should have known" Lexa shakes her head, smiling. She cups Clarke's face and places a soft kiss on her lips, lingering there for a few seconds, "I really am proud of you" she reiterates.

Clarke grins, "I'm proud of you too, Miss _I got 92% at my math exam"_ Clarke teases, poking her girlfriend's stomach.

Lexa smiles and laughs when Clarke begins to tickle her unrelentlessly, "st-stop!" she shouts between her laughter, "please...stop! I surrender! I surrender!" she screams out and Clarke finally relents in her assault.

"I'll grab some stuff and then we can go" she tells Lexa.

Lexa nods and settles comfortably on the bed, smiling happily. She has reached a point in her life where she is truly happy and she knows she has Clarke to thank for that. She still cannot believe how lucky she is that it was Clarke who found her in the streets that night.

"I put everything in the trunk already, ready to go?" she asks, handing Lexa her jacket. The girl nods.

Before they leave, Jake congratulates the both of them on their successful exams, giving each a big hug, "I'm proud of you" he tells them, "now go have fun"

Lexa grins and steps forward to hug him again. She then follows the blonde outside, hurrying down the small alley to open the car door for her girlfriend. She mentally high fives herself when she sees the small blush on Clarke's cheeks and the tiny smile that is now gracing her features.

Clarke stops next to a small building which has its wall covered in various abstract paintings. Lexa looks questioningly at her girlfriend but the girl stays silent and leads the two of them inside. Lexa's jaw drops when she takes in the sight of an art workshop. She turns to look at Clarke, "how do you know about this place?"

"My father took me here once when he found out about my interest for art"

"It's beautiful" Lexa quietly says, observing the paintings covering the walls.

A woman appears from behind a door and smiles upon seeing Clarke, "Griffin!" she exclaims, "what brings you here?"

"Hey" she greets the older woman, "this is my girlfriend, Lexa" she gestures to the shy brunette beside her.

The woman whistles, "she's pretty" she compliments, "I'm Alex" she introduces herself, outstretching her hand.

"Lexa" the brunette replies, shaking the offered hand.

Alex laughs, "I know" she whispers and Lexa blushes heavily because Clarke literally introduced her two seconds ago, "are you here to paint?" she asks.

Lexa turns her head to look at Clarke, a smile drawing itself on her features, "are we?" she asks the blonde.

Clarke smiles fondly and nods. She is relieved to see that Lexa seems to like the idea and is pretty excited about it if her facial expression is anything to go by.

"I'll bring out a canvas for each of you. Wait right here" Alex instructs.

She comes back with two canvas and makes another trip to the back of the building to retrieve two wooden easels.

"Thanks" Clarke smiles as she places them in the middle of the room, on top of ripped newspaper pages to protect the floor from potential paint stains, "I'll pay you for the canvases"

"No need, you're welcome here whenever you want" Alex says, "I was actually heading out so you'll be alone in here for at least two hours but I trust you not to destroy everything" she winks at Clarke and leaves the building.

Clarke goes to retrieve various kinds of paint and comes back, grinning as she hands a paintbrush to her girlfriend. Lexa thanks her and pulls her hair up in a bun before looking at the blank canvas in deep thought.

Clarke walks behind her and slips a white apron over Lexa's head before tying it behind her back, "so that you don't get paint all over your clothes" she kisses the nape of Lexa's neck.

Lexa smiles, "can I paint whatever I want?" she asks.

"Sure" Clarke shrugs, "this is your painting. Make it whatever you want it to be" she smiles and leaves a kiss on Lexa's cheek.

"I should warn you that I suck at art" Lexa says, picking up a pencil to start drawing the outline of her painting.

"It can't be that bad" Clarke laughs and picks up a pencil as well.

They work mostly in silence, stealing glances at each other from time to time. Clarke stops momentarily to watch Lexa work when the girl isn't looking. The tip of Lexa's tongue pokes out from the left corner of her mouth and her brows are furrowed in concentration. She looks absolutely adorable. She is tempted to walk over and kiss Lexa but she doesn't want to burst the small bubble of concentration the brunette has created around herself. She goes back to work, her eyes sometimes shifting from her painting to fall on the brunette in front of her. Sometimes their eyes meet and they both smile before ducking their heads and resuming painting.

It takes about half an hour before Clarke is done with her painting. She looks over and sees that Lexa has stopped painting and is now staring at her, "have you finished?" she asks, pointing at the painting which she cannot see from that angle.

Lexa looks down, "almost" she says, dipping her paintbrush into some paint before continuing.

Clarke simply watches her until she's done. Lexa drops her paintbrush on the easel and looks up to Clarke to inform her that she has finished.

"Can I see?" the blonde asks, pointing at the canvas.

Lexa hesitates, looking down at her painting with slight doubt, then she nods, "it really isn't good, though" she says, blushing a bit as her girlfriend's gaze falls onto the canvas.

[Lexa's painting](http://static.squarespace.com/static/51f444a0e4b04b5d7e621999/51f44507e4b0f78de8ad65a9/51f44541e4b0f78de8ad995e/1326058176000/IMG_6270.jpg?format=original)

"Wow" Clarke simply says.

"Is it that bad?" Lexa looks from Clarke to her painting then back at Clarke again, brows furrowed and lips pulled downwards.

"No" Clarke shakes her head, "it's actually better than I expected" she says, "I thought you sucked at art?" she raises an eyebrow at her girlfriend.

"I read books" Lexa shrugs.

"About art?"

"Sometimes" the brunette replies, "I know a few techniques but not to the point of making me an artist. Far from it"

Clarke takes the canvas in her hands and smiles, "I'm totally hanging that above our bed tonight" she says, smiling.

"What? No, Clarke" Lexa shakes her head, trying to ignore the way her heart jumped at Clarke's use of the words _our bed,_ "it's not nearly beautiful enough" she argues.

"But you made it" Clarke counters, "and it's beautiful to me" she adds, looking fondly at her girlfriend.

Clarke pouts and looks at her with sad puppy eyes and Lexa realizes once more that she cannot refuse Clarke anything, "okay" she sighs. Clarke squeals in joy and pecks Lexa's lips, "but only if we hang your painting next to it" she points at the painting she has yet to see.

"You haven't even seen it yet"

"Yeah, but I know it'll be beautiful" Lexa says, walking towards Clarke's canvas, "can I look?" she asks.

Clarke nods and Lexa walks in front of the canvas. She lets out a soft gasp as her eyes scan the masterpiece Clarke has created in such a short amount of time.

[Clarke's painting](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/dd/b7/44/ddb744752b47787a491991426c1a138b--easy-acrylic-paintings-acrylic-painting-canvas.jpg)

"Clarke...this is so beautiful" she is tempted to brush her fingers over the paint but knows it wouldn't be a good idea seeing as it still has to dry off a bit, "you're so talented" she says in complete awe.

Clarke scratches the back of her neck, "I'm not that talented" she modestly says but Lexa isn't having any of it.

"Are you kidding me? Do you know many people who can create something like that in less than two hours? Because I only know one"

"Technically, you know two because Alex can also-"

Clarke is cut off when lips press against her own in a soft kiss that takes her by complete surprise, "you are amazing" Lexa says when they break apart.

She picks up the drawing and admires it once more before walking towards the car. Clarke follows after her, "where are you going?"

"Putting this in the trunk because we're not leaving without it" she decidely says.

Clarke feels a fluttering feeling in her chest and she doesn't even have the heart to tell Lexa that the paint would dry more quickly inside the building than in her car. She figures that it doesn't matter seeing as acrylic paint dries pretty quickly either way.

Once Lexa has closed the trunk, Clarke pulls on her apron and presses her lips hard against the brunette's, relishing in the feeling of plump lips moving against her own. Lexa hums and walks them forward until Clarke's back hits the car and she finds herself trapped between it and Lexa's body.

"Sexy" a voice says from beside them and they jump apart, their eyes landing on a smirking Alex, "don't stop on my account" she raises her hands, chuckling as she enters the building.

Clarke groans and lets her head drop on Lexa's shoulder, "well, now the mood is gone" she complains.

Lexa laughs and they both go back inside to fetch Lexa's painting. Clarke thanks Alex once more for lending them the building and they climb into the blonde's car.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

Lexa complains about being hungry and Clarke stops at a small diner on their way home. She puts a hand on the small of Lexa's back as she guides them inside, holding the door open for Lexa to enter first.

"Thank you" Lexa smiles as she steps inside. She hums at the feeling of the cold air of the building, a sheer contrast with the summer heat.

They sit at the far end of the diner, next to a window and a waiter comes over to them to hand them the menus. They smile and thank the man. Lexa reaches over the table with her hand and intertwines her fingers with Clarke's. She feels the blonde's thumb brush over the back of her hand and hums contentedly.

With her free hand, she starts going through the menu and is about to ask Clarke if she has chosen what she wants to eat yet when a familiar voice causes her to freeze, her blood running cold.

"Lexa?"

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boom, cliffhanger (I'm sorry)


	20. Your name spells trouble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanna thank you all for your patience. I know it now takes me a little over a week to post a new chapter and that is because I'm juggling between writing this and the sequel to my other story. Thank you to those who are still reading this. You guys are amazing, each and everyone of you ♡

 

 

"Lexa?"

The brunette doesn't turn around. She knows who is standing behind her. She knows and she isn't prepared to face her.

"Sweetie, can we talk for a bit?" the woman says.

It has been three months since that dreadful night and she refuses to even entertain the hope that either one of her parents has changed their mind. So she doesn't turn around to face her mother.

Her breathing loses its steadiness and she can hear the faint voices of Clarke and her mother, the piercing sound in her ears covering the noise. Her body moves of its own accord and she barely hears Clarke's calls before she is engulfed by the silence of the bathroom. She enters a stall, locks the door and slides down against the wall until she hits the ground.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

Clarke sees the woman who interrupted them try to follow after Lexa and she places herself in front of her, blocking her way, "you're her mother, aren't you?" she dryly says, seeing the resemblance with the brunette.The woman nods, "then I'm not letting you go anywhere near her. You've made her suffer enough already and unless she explicitely says she wants to meet with you, it's not happening"

Clarke walks away after that to find her girlfriend, leaving the woman stunned.

"Lex?" Clarke calls out as she opens the door.

She is met with silence, save for the occasional sob that reaches her ears and the ragged breathing of the brunette. She places her hand against the wooden door of the stall Lexa has locked herself in.

"Baby, it's me" she quietly says, "please, open the door"

She hears the lock being turned after a few seconds and pulls the door open. She crouches down and places both hands on each side of Lexa's face.

"You're okay" she whispers, "you're safe"

Lexa's eyes are unfocused but she gives a small nod nonetheless. Her breathing, on the contrary, doesn't seem to steady. Clarke leans her forehead against Lexa's and moves her hands down to give Lexa something to anchor herself to, "here, hold my hands" she instructs. Warm, sweaty hands grab onto hers tightly and she winces a bit at the pain but remains quiet about it, instead focusing on calming her girlfriend, "just like that" she whispers, "you're doing great, baby" she praises, "I need you to try and match your breathing with mine. Do you think you can do that?"

Lexa nods ever so perceptively and Clarke starts breathing in and out at a slow pace, occasionally murmuring sweet nothings to the brunette. It takes a few minutes but eventually, Lexa's breathing steadies itself and the brunette's eyes open to reveal teary green eyes. Clarke places a kiss on her forehead, then on her nose and finally, on her lips.

"You're safe" she repeats and Lexa nods, finding herself believing those words, "you wanna go home?" she asks quietly.

Lexa nods slightly and Clarke helps her up before pulling the brunette in for a tight hug, wishing her arms could offer calm and protection to the girl. Lexa's head drops onto Clarke's shoulder as she lets herself be held.

"I love you" she hears the blonde whisper, "and I'm here for you" she adds, "whatever you need, you can ask me"

Lexa smiles gratefully, "I love you too" she all but whispers.

Clarke starts peppering kisses all over the brunette's face, causing her to giggle, "there's that sound I love" Clarke said, smiling brightly. She places one last kiss on Lexa's lips before walking them to the door, "are you ready?" she asks one more time. Lexa nods.

She pushes the door open and immediately sees Lexa's mom standing next to it, obviously waiting for them to return. The woman springs to life but is stopped when Clarke places one hand on her shoulder.

"Stay away" the blonde simply says before walking with Lexa towards the exit. Lexa looks down the entire time, not wanting to meet her mother's eyes.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

Clarke is sitting on the bed, Lexa's head in her lap as she threads her fingers through brown curls, stroking the brunette's hair. Clarke sighs, "we should talk about it" she says.

It has been a couple hours and the brunette hasn't spoken a single word about their encounter with her mother. At first, Clarke let it slip but her concern is progressively growing as the minutes drag on.

Lexa keeps her eyes closed but Clarke can see the way she clenches her jaw upon hearing the words. The brunette's hand closes around the blonde's shirt and she breathes deeply, "I don't want to"

Clarke closes her eyes briefly, "I know, baby, but you can't keep all of this bottled up" she reasons.

"Yes, I can" Lexa argues stubbornly.

The blonde sighs, "I'm not the enemy here" she tells her girlfriend, "and if you're not ready to speak about it then I'll let it go but I really think it would be beneficial to talk about how you feel"

Lexa clenches her jaw and sits up, "what do you want me to say? My mom suddenly reappears after three months of radio silence and expects me to speak with her as if she hasn't let my father kick me out like I meant nothing to them!" she explodes, getting up from the couch.

 ** _There it is,_ ** Clarke thinks, "is that how you feel?" she quietly asks.

Lexa stays silent, then huffs, "I just...ugh...I just wish I never had to see her again. That would make things so much easier"

"You don't mean that" Clarke softly says.

"You don't know what I'm thinking" Lexa counters harshly with hard features.

"That's because you won't even talk to me!" Clarke raises her voice.

Lexa opens her mouth then closes it. She doesn't say another word and simply heads towards the guest room to lock herself in it. Clarke looks sadly at her retreating figure and drops on the bed, shoulders slumped.

 _"Fuck"_ she whispers to herself. She is tempted to go after Lexa but knows it won't do no good so long as the brunette hasn't had some time to cool off on her own. Perhaps what Lexa really needs right now is some time alone. The blonde feels tears brim at the corner of her eyes and she wills them to remain at bay. She takes a deep breath and lays on the bed, phone in hand, hesitating before dialing her father's number.

 _"Clarke?"_ the man says from the other end.

"Could you come back home?" the blonde asks, "I need to speak with you about something"

 _"I'll be there in ten minutes"_ he tells her before hanging up.

She clutches the phone in her hand and closes her eyes. She falls asleep without meaning to and is woken up when her father enters the room.

"Clarke, wake up" he gently shakes her and she blinks her eyes open, adjusting to the sudden light in the room.

"Dad?"

"You called me, remember?" he smiles at her, nodding at the phone she was still holding in her hands.

She nods and sighs, "I think Lexa and I are fighting" she murmurs dejectedly.

He frowns, "what happened?" he asks, placing a reassuring hand on her back.

Clarke tells him what happened ; how Lexa's mother appeared out of nowhere in the diner, Lexa's panic attack and the argument they got in just now.

"I don't know what to do" her shoulders drop and she wipes away a traitorous tear that escaped her eye as she recounted the discussion she's had with Lexa, if you can even call it that.

Jake cradles her face against his chest, "I think she needs some time to herself right now but you haven't done anything wrong, alright?" she nods against his chest, "I'm sure she'll come speak to you soon" he kisses the crown of her neck.

"Thank you, dad" Clarke quietly says, "do you think you could cook spaghetti bolognese tonight? I know it's Lexa's favorite and-"

"Say no more" he cuts her off, "I'm on it" he ruffles her hair and leaves the room, smiling to himself because he knows those kind of fights never last very long.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

Clarke hears a knock at her door. She goes to open it, thinking it is her father coming to tell her that the dinner is ready but she is instead met with the sight of Lexa. The brunette looks very small. Her eyes are downcasted and a few brown curls hide most of her face. Her hands are clasped together as she awkwardly bounces on her heels. When she looks up, Clarke sees the dried tears on Lexa's cheeks and her heart breaks a little. She silently grabs the girl's hand and leads her towards the bed.

"I'm sorry" is the first thing Lexa says. Her eyes are still angled towards her fidgeting hands in shame.

Clarke takes her hands in hers to stop their motion. She brushes her thumbs over the back of those, "it's okay" the blonde whispers back.

Lexa shakes her head, "I hurt you" she whispers, voice cracking, "it's not okay" she says, "I shouldn't have run. I should have talked to you. I should have been more considerate of your feelings. I shouldn't have been so selfish" she listed off, "I'm sorry" she repeats.

"And I shouldn't have pushed you to talk about it" Clarke says, "we're both to blame here"

Lexa shakes her head again, "no...you- I'm the only one at fault...I should have-"

Clarke tilts her head up by placing two fingers under her chin, then joins their lips, effectively cutting off whatever Lexa was about to say, "stop talking" Clarke whispers before kissing her again and again.

Lexa looks at her through teary eyes, "you're not mad?" vulnerability seeps into her voice as she speaks.

Clarke's eyes soften and she cups the brunette's cheeks, leaning her forehead against hers, "of course not" she says, "did you think I would be?"

Lexa nods and a broken sob escapes her mouth, "I'm sorry" she repeats, "for shutting you out and leaving like that and-"

Lips crash onto her own and hands find hers before she is being pushed onto her back, hands pinned down on each side of her head. She returns the kiss to the best of her ability until she feels the need to breathe. She taps on Clarke's shoulder and the blonde pulls away, forehead still connected to her own.

"I could never be mad at you" Clarke whispers against her lips.

Lexa breaks the newfound silence after a few seconds, "I felt like my chest was closing on my heart, constricting it"

Clarke frowns and pulls away slightly, supporting her weight with her arms, "what?"

"You asked how I felt and I'm trying to tell you" Lexa sheepishly answers.

Clarke nods and gets off Lexa so that they can both sit up. She takes the brunette's hand in hers, linking their fingers.

"I wasn't ready" Lexa continues, "I wasn't ready to deal with that. I thought I had time to prepare myself but then she just appeared and I cannot understand how she could just leave me alone for so long and come back having the nerve to think I will want to talk to her" Clarke brings a hand to her lips and gently kisses each knuckle one by one. "I'm not...ready" Lexa repeats the words, "I'm not ready" her voice cracks and Clarke wraps her arms around her as the brunette starts crying.

"Shhh" she runs a hand through brown hair, hoping to soothe the fragile yet so strong girl in her arms, "no one said you have to be ready. You go at your own pace and the others follow" she murmurs.

Clarke hears her father yell out that dinner was ready. She is about to shout back that they'll be here in a few minutes when Lexa pulls away and gets up, wiping at a few tears.

"Are you sure?" Clarke asks, "I can ask my dad to eat later if you want"

Lexa shakes her head and sniffles, "no, it's okay" she says. She then steps forward and hugs the blonde, "I love you so much" she mumbles into her neck as her arms tighten around the blonde's waist.

"I love you too" Clarke lovingly murmurs back. The embrace lasts a couple minutes and they both instantly miss the contact when they pull away. Clarke gently takes Lexa's hand in hers, "let's go eat" she softly says, bringing the brunette's hand to her lips.

Lexa slightly blushes and follows the blonde downstairs. She stops in her tracks when the smell of food reaches her nose. She frowns then her face lights up, "did your dad make spaghetti?" she asks excitedly.

"He did" Clarke nods, "I asked him to"

"You did?"

"It's your favorite meal and you were feeling down so I thought it could help cheer you up a bit"

Lexa is stunned into silence at this. She cannot believe that despite the argument they've had and herself immaturely running off to the guest room, the blonde still wanted to insure she felt comfortable.

"You..." she trails off, in complete awe of just how amazing the girl standing in front of her is. Instead of expressing her feelings with words, she presses her lips against soft, pink ones, "thank you" she whispers. She is rewarded with the most beautiful smile she has ever seen.

"Finally" Jake says when they get to the bottom of the stairs, "I thought the dinner would be cold by the time you arrived" he laughs and lets out a small sound of surprise when Lexa surges forward to hug him. "Thank you" she whispers against his chest.

He looks at Clarke confused but a smile betrays how happy such gesture from the brunette makes him. He gladly returns the embrace.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

Raven barges into the room the next morning as they are lazily watching a movie in bed. Lexa jumps up in surprise at the sudden movement of the door, "Raven!" she clutches at her heart, eyes wide.

"Ever heard of knocking?" Clarke raises an eyebrow, "you know, this thing that people usually do before entering a room" she adds.

Raven shrugs, "waste of time if you ask me" she says, "there is a party tonight" she smiles brightly, "you two should come"

Any other day, Clarke would have agreed to go but right now, she feels like neither her nor Lexa is in the mood to party. She is trying to find an excuse not to go when Lexa's voice cuts through the silence.

"Sure" Clarke's gaze turns to Lexa and the brunette shrugs at her, "it could be fun"

Clarke frowns, unsure. She gets closer to Lexa's ear so that Raven cannot hear, "are you sure?" she asks with slight concern.

The soft green eyes that look back at her serves to alleviate some of the concern she might have had but it isn't entirely gone. The brunette nods, seemingly certain.

"Rae, could you leave us for a minute?" Clarke asks, her eyes never leaving Lexa's.

Raven frowns but does as told, heading out of the room. As soon as they hear the soft thud of the door closing, Clarke grabs Lexa's hands.

"I don't want to get into another argument" she says, sighing.

"But?" Lexa asks, feeling the blonde has more to say, a hint of fear in the brunette's voice.

Clarke hesitates, "do you really think going out right now is a good idea?" she asks.

Lexa frowns and thinks it over, "well...no, but I thought you would want to go" she admits, "so I figured I could make an effort...I don't know"

Blue eyes soften considerably and she wraps her arms around the brunette who looks very small in this moment. She holds her tight against herself, breathing the girl in, "that's very sweet of you" she whispers into Lexa's neck, "but I don't really feel like partying and even if I did, I would never drag you somewhere you don't really want to go"

Lexa nods, "could we watch a movie then?" she suggests, "another movie" she corrects when she realizes they were already doing that.

Clarke smiles and pecks her lips, "sounds like a plan" she says before opening the door.

Raven falls forward because she had been listening in on their conversation, ear pressed against the door.

Clarke looks at her with a very unimpressed expression, "really, Rae?"

The latina smiles sheepishly, "so I guess you won't be coming to the party?" she says in an unusually high-pitched voice.

Clarke shakes her head, "sorry"

Raven brushes it off, "don't worry, I was kind of expecting a negative response anyway. Have a good day, love birds!" she shouts as she leaves the house.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

Clarke feels awful for doing this behind Lexa's back but she reassures herself by telling herself that she will tell the brunette everything once it's done. It's a weak excuse and she knows it but she has to do this. She has to insure Lexa's safety. This is why she finds herself entering the same diner they went to a couple days ago in search of Lexa's mother.

She spots the woman at the back, serving customers and warily approaches the woman. She knows Lexa is currently at her self-defense class which gives her the freedom to do this without the brunette noticing. It isn't that she wants to keep this from her girlfriend. It's simply that she knows the girl wouldn't be on board with this if she told her.

Lexa's mother looks up and Clarke can pinpoint the exact moment recognition falls onto the woman. Lexa's mother excuses herself to the customers and walks towards her.

"I know you" she carefully says, "you are Lexa's friend, aren't you?"

Clarke swallows down the harsh reply she wants to give and nods, "I'm her girlfriend" she corrects, looking intently at the woman in front of her, "I think we should have a little talk you and I"

Lexa's mother seems to falter a bit but she nods nonetheless, motioning to a table at the far end of the diner, knowing they wouldn't be disturbed there. She warns her boss that she is going to take her break now and comes to sit in front of Clarke.

The blonde analyzes the woman sitting in front of her. Lexa's mother seems nervous, justifiably so, fidgeting on her seat, "I have questions" the blonde cuts right through it.

The woman nods, "I'll answer them" she clears her throat. Her eyes are fleeing. She looks at anything but Clarke and the blonde is satisfied to note that she has the upper hand here.

"Before I start, I want to make it very clear that I'm not here because I believe you are worthy of a second chance. If it came down to me only, I'd make sure you stay as far away from Lexa as possible but I also know she needs closure and unfortunately only you can provide that" she calmly says, "I'm not here out of sympathy for you. I simply want to make sure you won't hurt Lexa again, should she decide to give you a second chance"

The woman nods in understanding. She feels grateful to be granted a chance to explain herself despite the fact that Clarke is in no way here for her.

"How come we found you here? Last Lexa told me, your family was struggling with money and unable to even pay for her education"

The woman looks away, "I found this job recently. After leaving Lexa's dad, I needed a way to sustain myself and I got lucky enough to find this position. It doesn't pay much but it's enough" she shrugs.

Clarke shakes her head, her glare not decreasing in intensity. Of course she would only start worrying about money when poverty is a threat to her own existence, "why reach out now?" Clarke asks in an accusatory way, "why the sudden change of mind?"

Lexa's mother clears her throat, "I was wrong. I realized that and I wanted to make up for it. I searched for Lexa and-"

"You clearly didn't search enough" Clarke interrupted, "how hard could it be to find someone in the small perimeter of one city?"

The woman sighs, "I know I could have done better and I regret that but I truly want to be there for my daughter" she says, finally looking at Clarke in the eye, "I love her. I really do"

"If you loved her like you claim you do, you wouldn't have let her be thrown out" Clarke argues, "you and your husband made her feel like she was an inconvenience" she accuses, "she is your _daughter_ for fuck's sake!" her voice raises which gets her a few looks from other patrons.

The woman has the decency to hang her head in shame, "I know...and I've regretted it ever since. Lexa's father...he..."

"Don't play the victim now" Clarke interjects, "you could have stood up to your husband but you didn't" she accuses.

"I wanted to...and I did. He's not here anymore. I left him and-"

"It was already too late" Clarke cuts her off once more, "do you know how I found her?" she asks rhetorically, "she was crying in front of _your_ house, drenched from head to toes. Her body was shaking from the cold and from the intensity of her tears" she recounts the events of that night, "and yet, you did nothing"

The woman's eyes become teary and soon, tears are streaming down her face, "I'm so sorry" she repeats over and over.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to" Clarke says and she slides the chair back, getting up. She has heard enough.

"Wait!" the woman gets up hastily, "I need to speak with Lexa" she says.

Clarke looks at her blankly, "you are in no position to make demands. Lexa will see you if and when she wishes to see you and if that day never comes, you will simply have to accept it" she walks away, not bothering to address any more words to the woman. From what she has heard, the brunette's mother genuinely regrets what has happened but that doesn't make her actions okay and if Lexa were to decide to never meet with her, Clarke would understand and support that decision, just like she would support her girlfriend if she decided to give her mother a second chance.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

"Clarke?"

That is weird. Lexa never comes home to an empty house after her class with Anya. She quietly closes the door behind her and goes upstairs. No sign of the blonde there either. She is about to call the girl's phone when she hears the sound of keys turning in the lock. She heads back downstairs and catches her girlfriend entering the house with two coffees in hand.

"Hey" Clarke smiles, handing one of the coffees to her, "I thought you might use one" she says.

Lexa smiles back and blows on the coffee before bringing the liquid to her lips, humming at the taste, "it's really good, thank you"

Clarke gives a small smile and takes the brunette's hand to lead them upstairs, causing Lexa to frown. The blonde's behavior seems a bit odd.

"I need to tell you something" Clarke says once they are both sitting on the bed, "and I really hope it won't make you mad"

Lexa's brows furrow, "you're scaring me a little" she says, taking Clarke's hand in hers, "what is it?" she softly asks.

Clarke takes a deep breath, blue boring into green, "I met with your mother" she reveals. She sees Lexa's face fall, "and I know it was shitty of me to do this behind your back-"

"You saw my mother?" Lexa repeats, frowning, "why would you go to see my mother?" she pulls her hands away from Clarke's and the blonde tries not to feel to disappointed at the loss of contact.

"I needed to speak to her" Clarke sighs, running a hand through her hair, "and I knew you wouldn't have let me if I had informed you of my intentions"

Lexa shakes her head, "you should have asked me" she says.

Clarke realizes now how wrong it was of her to go solo to speak with Lexa's mother. Her overprotectiveness over the brunette has led her to act selfishly, "I know...I just..." a knot in her throat makes it difficult to get the words out.

"Clarke, you can't just go and talk to my mom without consulting me first" Lexa's voice is stern and yet extremely gentle.

"I know" the blonde's shoulders slump and she looks away guiltily, "I'm sorry" she all but whispers.

Lexa moves her fingers to the blonde's chin, tilting her head so that the girl is now looking back at her, "I'm not mad, Clarke" she states.

Clarke frowns, "you're not?" confusion seeps into her voice. She expected the brunette to yell at her and for them to get into another argument.

Lexa shakes her head, "but please, next time talk to me first" she requests, "I wouldn't have kept you from doing it if you really felt like that was the right thing to do but I would have liked a warning"

Clarke nods, "I know I fucked up but you need to know I only did this to protect you"

Lexa smiles, "I know" she says, "what did you say to her?" she softly asks, curiosity getting the best of her. She is scared to find out but at the same time, she feels like she needs to know.

Clarke hesitates to reveal the content of her conversation with the woman. An encouraging nod from Lexa prompts her to start spewing all she remembers, "she regrets it. Leaving you on your own"

Lexa nods, taking in the information. She feels her heart tighten at the memory of that night but wills the tears to remain unshed.

"She left your father and found a job at the diner" the blonde continues, "she says she has tried looking for you to no avail"

Lexa's brows furrow. She seems to be in deep thought, "and she wants to repair our broken relationship" she completes.

Clarke nods. Lexa stays silent for a few seconds then nods once, "okay" she simply says.

"Okay?" Clarke repeats incredulously.

Lexa nods, "I'll meet with her" she says in a tone that does not betray her possible uncertainty.

Clarke blinks a few times, "whoa, hold on" she says, "are you absolutely sure?"

"I am"

"Lex, a couple days ago you told me you weren't ready. I'm not trying to be that person but...are you absolutely certain that you are ready to face her?"

"I am" Lexa reiterated, "listen, if I don't do this now, I'll never be ready to do it" she says, "the more I wait, the more time I have to doubt myself and escape from my problems. I don't want that"

Clarke nods, "if that's really what you want"

"It is" Lexa takes Clarke's hand in hers, "could you go with me, though? I would feel better if you were there"

Clarke intertwines their fingers, "of course" she kisses the back of Lexa's hand, "but tonight we just relax, alright?"

Lexa smiles, "that sounds good" she leans forward to peck Clarke's lips, "I know I told you I can handle myself and it's true but I still want to thank you for having my back with my mother and everything"

Clarke grabs her face to pull her in for another kiss, "always" she whispers against the brunette's lips, feeling relieved of the guilt she felt in regards to her meeting with Lexa's mom.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

Lexa walks down the stairs and feels a small body collide with hers, "oomph" she lets out, stepping backwards to regain her balance, "Aden?" she is confused upon seeing the young boy. She then spots Jake and Hannah standing near the threshold.

The man smiles at her sheepishly, "did I forget to warn you?" he rubs the back of his neck, "Hannah and I are going on a date which means you are in charge of babysitting Aden"

"What about Tris?" Lexa asks, her smile growing by the second.

"At another party" Hannah rolls her eyes, "I swear she spends more time out than at home these days"

Lexa laughs and lifts Aden in her arms, "looks like you'll be staying with us tonight" she smiles, "is that okay with you?" The boy nods eagerly and Lexa leaves a kiss on his forehead, "yeah, I'm glad to see you too, buddy" she bumps her nose against his.

"We're gonna head out" Jake tells them, "don't forget that Aden's bedtime is 8.30" he says before closing the door, leaving the boy in Lexa's care.

The brunette grins as she hold Aden close and she walks up the stairs excitedly, "Clarke!" she calls her girlfriend's name, "I have a surprise" she says, waiting for Clarke to open the door of the bedroom.

"Aden!" the blonde exclaims upon seeing him. The boy's lips split into a grin and he reaches out with his arms to get a hold of Clarke's shoulders, wrapping his tiny arms around her neck. Lexa carefully lets Clarke carry the young boy.

"I didn't know he would be here" the blonde smiles brightly, "what happened?"

"Your dad and Hannah are going on another date tonight"

"They are?" Clarke grins, "that's great" she says, happy to see her father move on from his past marriage with her mother.

"Lessa?" The brunette hums and looks down at the boy in Clarke's arms, "what is it, Aden?"

"I want to watch a movie, please"

She smiles at his politeness and nods, "alright but after the movie you have to go to sleep immediately" she warns.

He looks at her and nods once in agreement. Clarke and Lexa both laugh at the serious expression on his face. Lexa drops some blankets on the couch while Clarke rummages through her shelf filled with dvds.

"Oh my God" she says, "we have got to watch this movie" she holds up the dvd case with a bright smile.

Lexa takes a better look at the movie, _"Spirited away?"_ she reads out loud the title of it, "what's that?"

Clarke smiles down at the dvd case, "the best anime movie you'll ever see" she states, "and the soundtrack is amazingly beautiful" she adds.

"Are you sure it's adapted for Aden?"

"I watched it when I was five" Clarke shrugs, "it's not as scary as it looks"

Lexa relents, sensing her girlfriend's sheer excitement over this movie. Quite frankly, she is now curious to see what Clarke loves so much about it. Aden settles on Lexa's lap while Clarke slides the disc into the dvd player, smiling widely.

She takes a seat next to Lexa on the couch, sighing contentedly when the movie starts, "it's been sooo long since I last saw it" she whispers as she snuggles closer to the brunette.

Aden won't stop squirming in Lexa's lap, seemingly enjoying the movie and the brunette won't stop asking questions about the movie but Clarke feels truly happy in that moment.

"How old is Chihiro?" Lexa asks as the movie goes on.

"I don't know" Clarke shrugs, "ten years old probably"

Lexa's jaw falls, "this movie is so weird. If I were her, I would be terrified" she says, "I mean, does she think all of this is normal?"

Clarke laughs, "I'm pretty sure she doesn't think this is normal, baby" she presses a kiss to Lexa's jaw.

Aden turns in Lexa's lap and kisses both of her cheeks before placing one last kiss on Clarke's cheek and burying his face into Lexa's neck, "goodnight" he mumbles against her skin.

Lexa laughs then gets up and carries him to his bedroom while Clarke pauses the movie. The boy is already fast asleep by the time the brunette gently lowers him onto the bed. She then walks back downstairs to watch the rest of the movie.

Clarke sighs contentedly as Lexa wraps one arm around her waist. She scoots closer to her girlfriend and lets her head rest on the brunette's chest before pressing play on the movie. Lexa speaks after a few minutes, "okay that just makes no sense" she says.

Clarke laughs, "baby, the whole point of the movie is that it's some sort of ghost village. It's not supposed to make sense"

Lexa narrows her eyes, then accepts the answer, telling herself to stop overthinking every detail and just enjoy the movie, "I mean, besides how confusing it is, I'll admit it is a great movie"

"Told you" Clarke smugly says, craning her neck to kiss the corner of Lexa's lips.

Lexa moves her head to the side so that their lips meet in a soft kiss. The movie goes forgotten as Clarke moves on the couch and straddles the brunette. Lexa's hands come to rest on Clarke's hips as the blonde changes the angle of the kiss and deepens it, her tongue grazing the brunette's bottom lip. Lexa hums and opens her mouth, her lips closing around Clarkes tongue.

The blonde's hands tangle in brown curls as her hips start a slight grinding motion. Lexa's hands fall to her backside, squeezing the blonde's ass cheeks, drawing a moan from the girl. The movement of Clarke's hips increases in speed and small sounds of pleasure escape both of their mouths.

Lexa attaches her lips to Clarke's neck and sucks eagerly on the girl's pulsepoint. The blonde cranes her neck to give her more space to work with. Lexa's hands slip under Clarke's shirt and she slides them up until she reaches Clarke's underboob. She looks up questioningly at the blonde and receives a nod in answer. Her hands move higher and cup the blonde's breasts. Neither of them knows who let out the moan that echoed through the house.

"Fuck, Lex..." Clarke's hips grind more furiously against Lexa, creating friction against her aching center.

The sound of the keys in the lock has them stop abruptly, eyes wide, before swiftly springing back to life. Clarke quickly gets off Lexa's lap and they both rearrange their hair and clothes. Jake and Hannah walk inside the living room. The man eyes the girls suspiciously but makes no comment.

"Hey, dad" Clarke smiles nervously, "how was it?" she asks then awkwardly clears her throat, trying to ignore the wetness between her legs.

He narrows his eyes, "it was good...I think?" he turns towards Hannah with questioning eyes.

She nods, "it was great" she affirms, "is Aden sleeping?"

Lexa nods, "he's upstairs in the guest room" she informs the woman, "I can go and get him for you if you'd like"

The woman smiles, "it's sweet of you but I'm going to go myself. Thank you for babysitting him" she thanks them before heading upstairs.

Jake leaves to drive them back home and Lexa and Clarke get ready for bed. When they slip under the covers, Clarke immediately scoots closer and buries herself in the warmth of Lexa's embrace.

The silence is broken by the brunette after a few seconds, "tomorrow" she says.

"What?" Clarke whispers.

"We'll go see my mother tomorrow" she says decidedly, clearly indicating she has thought it over and isn't making a rash decision.

"Okay" Clarke nods, "now sleep, baby" she pecks the brunette's lips before leaving a delicate kiss on her forehead.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you guys have never seen the movie "Spirited Away", I highly suggest you to watch it as soon as possible because it seriously is a masterpiece. Not everything makes complete sense because it is strongly inspired by the Japanese culture but the movie is wonderful and the sountrack consists of such beautiful melodies. I've probably watched it at least seven times by now and I never get tired of it


	21. All we need is time

 

 

Lexa rubs her sweaty palms on her jeans and looks at Clarke for some sort of comfort. She always feels more relaxed whenever the blonde is around. They are both standing outside the diner, waiting for Lexa to gather the courage to step inside and face her mother. Clarke is murmuring small words of encouragement to her girlfriend.

It takes at least ten minutes but eventually Lexa tells the blonde that she is ready to go. Clarke looks at Lexa one last time and tells her that they can still go back home if she wants. Lexa simply shakes her head and tells Clarke that she wants to do this so the blonde pushes the door open and they step inside.

Lexa doesn't immediately see her mother and maybe she should feel relieved of having a few more seconds before the confrontation but her nerves are kicking in now more than ever. Finally, the woman appears from the kitchen, notepad in hand. She is about to head towards new customers when she sees Lexa. Her pen drops to the ground with a soft click and her eyes remain fixed on the nervous brunette.

Lexa gulps and Clarke reaches out to intertwine their fingers a gesture that goes greatly appreciated by Lexa, "you can do this" the blonde whispers in her girlfriend's ear.

Lexa nods and steps forward to stand in front of her mother. The woman blinks a few times, a small smile drawing itself on her features.

"Lexa" she breathes out.

"Mom" the brunette acknowledges her with a small nod, "you wanted to talk so, here I am" she coldly says.

If the woman is destabilized, she doesn't show it and on the contrary, sends her a huge smile. She tells them that she cannot talk right now but she gets off in ten minutes. Lexa agrees to wait at a nearby coffee shop so as to not create a scene at her mother's place of work. It will also give her a bit of time to gather her thoughts and put some order to those.

Clarke notices how tense her girlfriend looks and she places a hand on her shoulder. The brunette flinches at the contact before relaxing upon realizing it is only Clarke and that is confirmation enough for the blonde that Lexa is more than a little on edge.

"Baby" she softly says, "breathe, it's going to be alright" she tries to reassure her the best she can.

Lexa nods and inhales deeply. Her hands are busy holding her phone, needing something to busy herself with.

"What if I can't forgive her?" Lexa quietly asks, "what if she really wants to repair our bond but I just can't forgive her?"

Clarke pries the phone away from her hands and takes them both in hers, "you're overthinking this" she says, "stop putting so much pressure on yourself, alright?" she tucks a strand of hair behind Lexa's ear.

The brunette slightly nods, her hands falling in her lap. She catches her mother looking at them before the woman quickly looks away. She sighs, "I never thought any of them would want to have me back" she quietly says, "I don't know how to deal with this because I didn't even prepare myself for that possibility and now it's here and I just...I don't know what to do..." her shoulders slump.

Clarke motions for Lexa to scoot closer and she wraps her arm around her shoulder, her other hand coming up to stroke Lexa's cheek with her thumb.

"Hey, it's okay to feel like that" she murmurs, "it's perfectly normal that you're nervous and you shouldn't feel guilty if you can't forgive her" emerald eyes flicked up to meet blue ones, _"she_ fucked up and she is the one who needs to own up to her mistakes"

Whatever Lexa was about to respond will be left unsaid because her mother is now walking towards the table. Lexa takes a deep breath, collecting herself and she sits upright, grabbing onto Clarke's hand for support.

"Lexa" her mother all but whisper, a small and nervous smile on her lips, "thank you for agreeing to meet with me"

Lexa simply nods. Clarke has never seen her look as serious and closed off as she is now. The silence drags on for too long for the blonde's liking and she breaks it, "if you have something to say, say it now"

Lexa's eyes leave her mother's for a short instant to connect with blue. She gives the blonde a grateful nod and squeezes her hand under the table.

"So that's your girlfriend?" the woman gestures towards Clarke, most likely trying to buy herself some time.

Lexa's features remain cold as she answers, "she is. Cut the bullshit, mom. I know we are not here to discuss my girlfriend"

Clarke feels proud of the way Lexa is able to stand up to her mother and hold her own despite the nerves she can feel radiating from the brunette.

Lexa's mother sighs and nods, "I know" she says, "look, I know no amount of apologies could ever fix the pain I have put you through but I need you to know that I truly am sorry"

"For what?" Lexa asks in a hard tone, "kicking me out without making sure I could sustain myself or not reaching out for months?"

"Both" the woman's head is hung in shame, "I wasn't thinking and I was afraid-"

Lexa scoffs, "you were afraid? What about me, huh?" she raises her voice slightly, "don't you think I was afraid!? If it wasn't for Clarke, I would have had nowhere to stay!"

Clarke brushes her thumb over the back of Lexa's hand in an attempt to bring some comfort. It seems to work as Lexa relaxes ever so slightly in her seat.

Lexa's mother has shrunk on her seat and she now looks very small, "I'm sorry" she croaks out, eyes downcast, "Lexie-"

"Don't call me that" the brunette cuts her off, "you have no right to call me that after everything"

The woman nods and lets a beat pass before speaking again, "I left your father" she quietly says, looking down at her finger which used to adorn a ring.

"I know" Lexa simply says.

The woman looks confused for a second before she puts two and two together, "your girlfriend told you"

"I did" Clarke speaks for the first time since the beginning of the exchange, "surely you must have expected me to"

"He isn't home anymore" the woman keeps speaking, "I know it doesn't make up for what I did but I want to believe it's a start" she smiles hopefully.

Lexa wants to give in and forgive her mother because the woman seems genuine in her words but something is stopping her from doing so and she knows that something to be fear. Fear that it is all a web of lies and that the second she forgives her mother, she will go back to her old ways. Lexa doesn't think she could handle being rejected a second time. The first time hurt but the second could potentially be even worse. She doesn't want to give her heart to someone who will break it just as quickly.

"Lexa" her mother pulls her out of her thoughts, "I've thought a lot about all of this and...I just want you to know that I will support you in whatever you choose to do. I just want you to be happy" she says, trying to reach out for Lexa's hand but the brunette pulls away. This sentence turns a switch inside Lexa and she is back to being on the defensive.

"And you think I was happy when I was sitting on the pavement alone in the cold?" Lexa harshly says, her bottom lip quivering as she tries to hold her tears in.

Her mother opens her mouth to reply but already Lexa is talking again.

"You think I was happy when I had to watch the pure disgust in my own father's eyes as he rejected me while you stood there doing _nothing_ to stop him?"

Tears start brimming at the corner of Lexa's eyes and one look at her mother tells her that the woman is also on the verge of tears.

"I don't know what to say" her mother all but whispers, tears rolling down her cheeks, "I am _so,_ _so_ sorry, Lexa"

Clarke wipes at the brunette's tears with her thumb and looks into her eyes. She sees exhaustion written all over Lexa's face and although she knows they still have a lot to speak about, she deems it smarter to go home for now.

"Lex?" she gently calls, "I think we should go home now" she suggests.

She can see how hurtful it is for Lexa's mother that home for Lexa is someone else's house and not her own but the brunette's old house has stopped being home the second she was kicked out.

"Yeah" Lexa agrees then turns to look at her mother and sighs, "maybe we need a bit more time. I'm sorry but I cannot just forgive and forget"

"I understand" the woman says, "maybe we could meet again someday?" she offers, handing Lexa a paper with her phone number on it, "I noticed you had a phone now"

Lexa nods, "Clarke bought me one" she reveals.

She hesitates a few seconds and her mother is about to retract her arm when Lexa grabs the paper and shoves it in her jeans pocket before leaving without another word.

The ride home is silent. Clarke's hand is holding Lexa as she drives, occasionally pressing her lips to the back of the brunette's hand. It isn't until they are both in the safety of Clarke's bedroom that Lexa breaks. Sobs escape her mouth as tears quickly stream down her face.

Clarke quickly sits beside her on the bed and closes her arms around the brunette, holding her tight, "it's okay" she whispers, "I'm very proud of you, baby"

She starts stroking Lexa's hair in a soothing motion as the brunette's tears keep falling. Each sob that escape the brunette digs a hole in Clarke's chest.

She rocks them back and forth gently, "shhh, you're okay, baby" she uses the term of endearment again, knowing Lexa likes to be called that.

"C-Clarke" Lexa calls in between sobs, hands gripping the blonde's shirt.

"I'm here, baby. I'm right here" the blonde presses a kiss to the side of her face, on her temple, "it's okay" she repeats once more.

Lexa slowly calms down but she doesn't move from the embrace. She holds onto Clarke tightly as the blonde moves on the bed so that they're both laying on their backs.

A few minutes later, she notices the the brunette has fallen asleep, her breathing now steady. She wipes at the remaining tears on Lexa's face and pulls the blankets up to cover both of their bodies. She leaves a kiss on the brunette's head, "it's going to be okay" she whispers even though she knows the girl cannot hear her.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

A couple weeks have passed since that first encounter with Lexa's mother and the brunette has seen the woman again twice. The second time, she asked for Clarke to stay at home while she was there, needing to know if she was able to handle being alone with her mom. Clarke was reluctant but ended up agreeing, respecting her girlfriend's wishes.

She felt relieved when she saw the brunette come back from that meeting with tiny smile on her lips.

"She wants to meet again tomorrow" Lexa says when they are comfortably laying in bed, hands linked between their bodies.

"Yeah? And do you want to go?" she softly asks.

Lexa slightly nods, "I think so" she smiles a bit, "she's been trying, you know" she quietly says, "and it's going to take a bit more time but I feel like things are getting better"

Clarke smiles and leaves a kiss on Lexa's jaw, "I'm really happy for you" she tells her girlfriend.

Lexa peels her eyes away from the ceiling and turns on her side to meet soft blue eyes, "it's all thanks to you" she murmurs, "I wouldn't be able to do this without you"

Clarke closes the gap between them, joining their lips in a lingering kiss. They break apart when they hear a knock on the door and it opens to reveal Jake.

"Hey, girls" he says, "Hannah and I were thinking of bringing Aden to the park a couple blocks down. Would you like to come with?"

Their eyes light up at the mention of the boy and they nod eagerly, "just give us ten minutes and we'll be ready" Clarke tells him.

"Alright, we'll wait for you downstairs" he smiles at them kindly, "also, Lexa, could we talk tonight for a bit?"

Lexa frowns but nods, "sure" she says, deciding not to question him on the reason a talk is needed.

 

 

\-------------------------

 

 

Aden is sitting on Lexa's shoulders, the brunette holding him tightly out of fear that he might slip and fall. Each time he moves, her eyes widen and she tightens her hold on his legs. Clarke notices and offers to carry the young boy, sensing that Lexa's heart won't be able to take it if Aden keeps squirming like that.

"Thank you" Lexa breathes out as she lifts Aden from her shoulder and hands him to Clarke.

They enter the park and as soon as his feet touch the ground, Aden is already running off to reach one of the swings. Lexa takes off after him, yelling at him to be careful when he runs. Clarke smiles at the scene and accelerates her pace. She doesn't go as far as running but still. She watches as Lexa places Aden on the swing, making sure there is no risk of him falling down.

As for Jake and Hannah, they sit on a bench a bit further in the park.

"Hold on tight, buddy" Lexa instructs, closing her fists around his hands which are gripping the two metallic chains that connect the swing to the structure, "you do not let go of these, alright?"

He nods, "yes, Lessa" he grips the chains tight, ready to start.

"What is it that you absolutely shouldn't do?" she asks again to make sure he understood.

"Let go of that" he says, shaking the chains to show what he is talking about.

Lexa smiles and places a hand on his lower back to stop the swing from moving too much, "that's good" she leaves a kiss on the top of his head.

"Lessa?" she hums in response, "can you push?" he asks.

She smiles and nods before walking behind him to do as asked. She starts applying the smallest amount of pressure against his back, making him go forward.

Clarke steps in after a few minutes, "hey, Aden" she calls for his attention, "you want to know a super cool trick to go higher"

He nods eagerly, "yes! I wanna go higher!" he squeals in joy, "Lessa, can I go higher, please?" he turns his head slightly to catch a glimpse of the brunette.

"Of course you can" she smiles, "but not too high, alright? You have to be careful" she says.

He nods, "I'll be super careful" he assures her, "can I go higher?" he turns to Clarke.

The blonde smiles, "alright, when you swing backwards, bend your legs. Try it...yes, just like that" she smiles, "and when you go forward, you move your legs towards me"

"Like this?" he asks.

Clarke nods, "just like that" she repeats, "and now you do this everytime" she tells him.

His moves are a bit clumsy at first and there are times when he forgets to bend his legs but he quickly gets the hang of it and soon, Lexa doesn't have to stand behind him because he is able to do it perfectly on his own. She still stays close just in case. ** _Better be safe than sorry,_** she tells herself.

She sees Aden slip slightly from the swing but it's too late and by the time she is behind him, the boy is already on the ground, crying. Her eyes widen and she quickly pulls him in her arms while Clarke runs towards Hannah and Jake to warn them.

Aden won't stop crying and Lexa can see that he scraped his elbow. She rocks them both, whispering words of reassurance to him. It seems to work and by the time Hannah arrives, his cries have lessened considerably. A few tears are still escaping his eyes and his mother quickly pulls out an medical kit to disinfect the wound.

"I'm sorry, baby, but this is going to sting a little" she tells her son as she wets a tissue with some alcohol and presses it to the wound.

Aden cries out when it touches his bloodied elbow and Lexa holds him tightly against herself, feeling a bit guilty for letting this happen on her watch.

"There you go, sweetie" Hannah says as she bandages the boy's elbow and places a soft kiss on it, "magical kiss" she whispers.

The boy sniffles and closes his fists around Lexa's shirt, burying his face into her chest, "it hurts" he croaks out.

Lexa's heart breaks a little and she looks up to see that Clarke seems to feel the same way. She carries the boy towards the nearest bench and sits on it, Aden in her lap.

"I'm sorry, Hannah" Lexa whispers, "I was supposed to watch him and-"

"Hey, none of that" Hannah cuts her off, "accidents happen. It isn't your fault in any way" she assures the girl whose face is filled with guilt.

Lexa nods, though unconvinced.

Aden cranes his neck and kisses her cheek, "not your fault, Lessa" he says before kissing her other cheek.

"But you got hurt" she quietly says.

Aden shakes his head, "it doesn't hurt anymore" he lies in an attempt to make her feel better, "it's okay, Lessa" he presses one more kiss to her cheek.

She allows a tiny smile to escape. She knows the boy is lying but the fact that he's trying hard to cheer her up makes her feel really happy.

Clarke places both hands under Aden's arms and lifts him up to place him in her lap, "what about me? Can I have kisses too?"

He giggles and moves closer to press two wet kisses on her left cheek. Clarke leans back, a satisfied smile on her face. Hannah and Jake go back to sit on the bench, knowing that Aden is in good hands. They simply tell the boy not to run anymore because the injury is still pretty fresh.

Instead, Aden sits in Clarke's lap and plays with the two girls. Lexa is currently holding a rock in one of her hands, both of them hidden behind her back.

"Alright, Aden" she extends her closed fists in front of him, "in which one is the rock?" she asks with a small smile.

The boy thinks it over for a few seconds before tapping his finger on her left hand. She opens it to reveal nothing and then opens her right hand which contains the aforementioned rock, "you lost, buddy" she tells him.

"Again!" he requests happily and she gladly complies.

After two more tries, he gets it right. He jumps in Clarke's lap and claps his hands together while letting out small squeals of joy, "I won, Lessa!" he smiles brightly.

"You did" she ruffles his hair with a wide smile, "good job, buddy" she congratulates him, holding her hand up for a high five.

Aden grins adorably and slaps his hand against Lexa's.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

Jake leads Lexa towards his bedroom so they can talk privately. The brunette walks inside cautiously. This is the first time she has entered the man's bedroom, always very respectful of his privacy.

Clarke agreed to stay away while they spoke. Lexa told her it wasn't necessary but Clarke assured her she wanted to and that she would use that time to draw a little, something she hasn't had much time for in the past few weeks.

Lexa slowly sits on the bed and Jake does as well. He moves his hand on top of hers and looks right in her eyes, "no need to look so nervous" he smiles, "I'm not here to interrogate you in any way"

Lexa nods and some of the tension leaves her body, "what did you want to talk about?" she quietly asks.

Jake clears his throat, "well, I have noticed that you and Clarke are acting a bit differently recently and I was just wondering if something happened" he explains.

Lexa mentally smacks herself on the forehead. With everything that's been going on, she hasn't stopped to think about the fact that Jake would like to be included and informed of the recent events.

"I found my mother" Lexa says, "well, more like she found me and I guess she regrets what she did"

Jake's eyebrows shoot up at this, "you've been speaking to your mother again?" he cautiously asks.

Lexa nods, "I met up with her a couple times" she explains, "I'm actually supposed to see her again tomorrow afternoon" she adds.

Jake nods, "and do you think it is a good idea to meet up with her? I mean, does it help?"

She thinks it over for a few seconds then nods, "it does help" she confirms, "it helps a lot. I didn't think I needed it and I'm not saying being with you and Clarke isn't enough because it is but I just..."

"You need your mom" he completes for her and she slowly nods, "and it's normal, sweetheart" he places a hand on her shoulder, "she is still your mother and I can only imagine how badly you have wished for her acceptance"

She nods and looks down at her hands, "there is something I need to know" she whispers.

"Ask away"

"If my relationship with my mom gets better, does this mean I can't live with you anymore?" she asks, tears forming in the corner of her eyes at the prospect of leaving this family which has grown to be like her own over the time.

Jake frowns, "of course not" he shakes his head and watches how hope fills watery emerald eyes, "you know you can stay here forever if you want to, Lexa" he tells her.

"Really?" she says, happiness lacing her words.

He nods and takes her hands in his, "Lexa, I would never ask you to leave" he promises, "I did not let you stay here out of pity. I love you so very much and I would respect your decision if you were to go live with your mother but I would be very happy if you decided to stay here. You are like a second daughter to me"

Lexa surges forward and wraps her arms around the man's neck, "I love you too, Jake" she whispers, "thank you for being there for me when my father wasn't"

Jake holds her tightly against himself, "of course, kiddo" he tells her, "you can always count on me" he smiles, "now go back in your room because I think Clarke must be wondering what it is we've been talking about"

Lexa sniffles and wipes at her tears, then gets up. She nods gratefully at the man once before closing the door behind her.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

Clarke wakes up earlier than usual. She feels nauseous and her throat is extremely sore. She angles her head away from Lexa and nearly empties the content of her stomach on the bed. She hastily gets up and heads towards the bathroom to avoid throwing up everywhere.

The sudden motion of the bed arises Lexa and she blinks a few times before hearing the sound of someone vomiting. She pushes her disgust aside and heads into the bathroom. Wordlessly, she brushes Clarke's hair away from her face and holds it in a ponytail with one hand while the other rubs circles on Clarke's back.

Clarke keeps her face near the toilet seat in case she feels the need to throw up again and she accepts the tissue that is being handed to her, "thank you" she mumbles, wiping at her mouth and chin, "I'm sorry" she whispers.

"For what?"

"I woke you up and you had to see me vomit...it's gross" Clarke quietly says, slowly getting up once she is sure she doesn't feel nauseous anymore.

Lexa shrugs, "it's okay" she says, "do you feel better?" she asks as she throws the tissue away and slowly guides Clarke back into the bedroom.

"A little" Clarke says as she lets her body drop back on the bed, "but I still feel like shit" she hoarses out.

"Where does it hurt?" Lexa asks.

"My head is killing me and my throat is burning each time I swallow" Clarke whines.

Lexa places a hand on the blonde's forehead and gasps at how warm it is, "Clarke, you're very hot"

The blonde lets out a small chuckle, "thank you. I'm flattered" she jokes, looking up at Lexa with a small, smug smile.

Lexa rolls her eyes, "very funny, Clarke" she says, "you are seriously burning up" she worriedly says, "stay there. I'll be back"

Clarke scoffs, "not like I would want to move" she mumbles, "the universe hates me" she whines when Lexa leaves the room.

The brunette comes back with a thermometer, "open up" she says, holding the device near the blonde's mouth.

While they wait, she strokes the blonde's scalp soothingly, tracing small circles with her fingers. A small beeping sound indicates that Clarke's body temperature has been determined.

Lexa sighs when she sees the digital digits, "yup, you have a fever" she announces to Clarke who immediately groans and buries herself under the blanket.

She comes up two seconds later, "too hot" she complains, throwing the blanket off her body, letting it pool at the foot of the bed, "why me?" she asks to no one in particular, throwing her hands in the air.

Lexa brushes her thumb over her cheek, "do you want me to wake up your dad?" she asks.

Clarke shakes her head, "he has work later. He needs to sleep" she reasons, "besides, there isn't much he can do" she sighs.

Lexa grabs her phone and types a few things. She then scrolls down the screen and looks back at Clarke, wincing, "looks like you got a flu"

Clarke squints her eyes at her, "did you just type my symptoms on google?" she asks.

"On rightdiagnosis.com" Lexa corrects, holding the phone proudly so that Clarke can see the screen.

Clarke starts chuckling but it turns into a coughing fit. She holds her hand in front of her mouth and Lexa quickly places herself beside her, rubbing her back.

"You should stay away from me" Clarke says as she recovers, "if you get too close, you'll get sick too and I don't want that"

"But I don't want to leave you" Lexa frowns, pouting.

Clarke smiles, "you're adorable and if I wasn't sick, I would kiss you right now" she adoringly says, "but I am and I don't want to contaminate you so go" she pushes Lexa away, "go to the guestroom or something"

"But-"

"Go" Clarke interrupts her, "you're very sweet but you're going to get sick too and that won't help anyone"

Lexa pouts and slowly leaves the room, shoulders slumped, "I don't like the sick version of you" she mumbles sadly.

Clarke laughs, "trust me, I don't either" she says before coughing a bit.

Lexa closes the door and immediately grabs the keys of the house as well as some money and a shopping bag. She leaves a note for Jake and exits the house.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

Lexa is standing in front of the ice cream alley and she taps her chin pensively, trying to decide whether Clarke would prefer cookie dough or chocolate flavoured ice cream. In doubt, she ends up taking both, telling herself that nothing is too much when it comes to making sure her girl is happy.

She picks up a bag of chips and some candy before stepping into the line, waiting for her turn. Thankfully, the line moves pretty quickly and the supermarket isn't far away from the house so the ice cream hasn't melted by the time she gets home and puts it in the freezer. She places the rest of the things under the bed in the guest room and leaves the house once more to go get the last thing she wants to buy.

She has to walk a bit longer to reach the flower shop but she isn't disappointed when she comes in and takes in the wonderful plants and flowers that litter the place.

"Hello, may I help you with something?" the woman behind the counter asks, grabbing her attention.

She looks up and takes a few glances around before speaking, "oh, uh, yes...my girlfriend is like, really sick and I wanted to buy her flowers in a bouquet to cheer her up a bit"

The woman smiles, "she is one lucky girl" she says.

"Well, she's sick so I don't know if I would say she's lucky" Lexa says, frowning.

The woman laughs lightly, "I meant she is lucky to have you" she clarifies.

Lexa's eyes open with realization, "oh, right" she blushes a bit, "she's amazing so I'm the lucky one, really" she rubs the back of her neck.

"Well, I would recommend this one" the woman walks to the left and retrieves a bouquet, "those here are peonies and they are flowers related to healing" she motions at peach-colored flowers, "those here are pansies" she points at small purple flowers, "they represent loving thoughts. And those here" she points at bigger light purple flowers, "are sweet peas. They don't really hold a meaning that is related to healing but it's pretty" the woman chuckles.

 

[the flower bouquet](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/66/28/9f/66289f55b75443ba4c27913357e81e41.jpg)

 

"It's perfect" Lexa smiles, "I'll take this one, please" she says, pulling out some money.

Once she has paid for the flowers, she goes back home with a bright smile, ready to surprise her girlfriend with all of that. She quietly turns the key in the lock and places the flowers on the kitchen table. She puts the food and some medicine in a plastic bag and holds the flowers in her free hand as she climbs the stairs.

"Clarke?" she slowly opens the door to see that the blonde hasn't moved since she left and is still sprawled out on the bed.

"Lexa! What are you doing? Go back in the guestroom or you'll get sick" Clarke hurries to say.

Lexa smiles sheepishly, "I can't"

"What?"

"I kind of have a surprise for you" the brunette grins and opens the door more widely, holding the bouquet behind her back as she hands the bag with the food to her girlfriend.

"What-" Clarke stares in shock at all the things Lexa has bought for her, "baby, you didn't have to" she says, tearing up.

"I wanted to" Lexa smiles, "I also got you this" she reveals the flower bouquet and Clarke gasps softly, both hands flying to her mouth, "it's not much but I thought it was pretty and maybe it could-"

"I am so in love with you" Clarke cuts her off, her eyes showing nothing but love for the brunette.

Lexa's mouth opens a bit and it slowly turns into a blinding smile, "I love you too" she happily says, handing the bouquet to the blonde.

She then sits on the bed and opens the ice cream for Clarke, stabbing a spoon into it.

"I didn't know if you would prefer cookie dough or chocolate so I got you both" the blonde raises an eyebrow at her, "what?"

"You better go get another spoon because you're eating this with me" Clarke motions to the ice cream.

Lexa smiles and clumsily gets up, nearly tripping over her own feet, placing both hands on the mattress to avoid falling. Clarke laughs and Lexa rubs the back of her neck, cheeks tinted in pink.

"I'll be right back" she quietly says before walking out, being careful not to trip over anything.

She comes back with another spoon and her smile drops when she sees that Clarke is pouting. She drops the spoon on the nightstand and sits beside the blonde.

"What's wrong?" she softly asks, "you don't like it? Because I can get you something else if you-"

Clarke shushes her by putting a finger over her lips, "I love it" she reassures Lexa, "it's absolutely perfect and I'm just really sad that I can't even kiss you right now"

Lexa's face breaks into a huge smile and she leans forward to leave a soft kiss on Clarke's lips. Even if she gets sick because of it, it will have been worth it.

Clarke freezes for a second before her lips morph into a smile, "Lex, you could get sick" she reminds her though the smile betrays that she isn't actually angry.

Lexa shrugs, "worth it" she says, beaming as she starts eating her ice cream, "eat now" she instructs to the blonde who is quick to obey.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

"What? No, baby, you should go" Clarke says.

Lexa sighs. She is supposed to meet with her mother in ten minutes but Clarke is still sick. Admittedly it isn't as bad as before but the girl still coughs a lot.

"You're still sick, Clarke. I'm not going. I'll simply text her to tell her that I can't make it"

The blonde crosses her arms over her chest, "no" she says.

Lexa smiles, "what do you mean _no?"_

"I mean _no"_ Clarke reiterates, "you are going to go meet with your mother and leave me alone. It is only thirty minutes. I think I'll manage"

"But-"

"No buts" Clarke sternly says, "now go before I push you down the stairs myself"

"You wouldn't" Lexa grins.

"If you don't go right now, I might" Clarke argues, "now move your beautiful ass and leave this germ infested room"

"You think my ass is beautiful?" Lexa asks with a smirk.

"You know I do" Clarke rolls her eyes, "now go, seriously" she pushes on Lexa's shoulders.

The brunette reluctantly agrees but she still leaves a small kiss on Clarke's forehead, "I love you" she whispers.

"I love you too" Clarke replies, smiling.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

"Lexa" her mother says with a bright smile, "it's nice to see you again" she adds.

Lexa nods but doesn't return the sentiment. It is still too soon for that, "should I order?" she asks, motioning to the waiter.

"Don't bother. I'll do it" her mother says, "what do you want?"

"Just a black coffee" Lexa says.

"Are you sure you don't want anything else? It's no problem, really"

Lexa feels touched that her mother is trying so hard to please her but she also knows it isn't necessary, "it's alright, mom"

The woman seems taken aback by the use of the word _mom._ In their past meetings, Lexa has been reticent to use the word. She was still trying to get used to the idea of having her mother around again. Now though, she can see that the woman really is trying and she has decided to truly give her a chance and see where that leads.

"Order whatever you want and I'll pay" the brunette says.

Her mother quickly shakes her head, "no, Lexa" she argues, "I will not let you pay when I am the one who invited you"

"I insist" Lexa says, "you have paid the last three times. It's my turn now" she says, calling the waiter over, "so, what do you want?"

The woman sighs, knowing she won't win this argument. If she knows anything about her daughter, it is that she can be stubborn, that much hasn't changed, "a black coffee and a belgian waffle"

They place their orders and immediately Lexa plans out in her head her next words, choosing them wisely. It has been a few days that she has thought it over and she feels like now is as good as any of a time to tell ter mother.

"Mom, I have a suggestion" she carefully says.

Her mother does a poor job at hiding her excitement, "I'm listening"

"I was....I was thinking that maybe I could come back home for a couple days maybe..." she says, "I don't know if it's a good idea but maybe it could help us..."

"You really want that?" her mother asks, not wanting to get her hopes up though it is already too late for that. Hope is written all over her face.

"It wouldn't be permanent of course" Lexa continues, "just a couple days but yeah...I think it could work"

"Is Clarke alright with this?" the woman asks.

"She...she doesn't know" Lexa says, "I haven't told her yet" she reveals.

Her mother nods, "you should tell her" she says, "she's your girlfriend and I think her opinion should also be taken into consideration"

Lexa feels happy that her mother considers the blonde's opinion as valid and essential. She nods, "I'll tell her soon but she's sick right now so I don't think it is the best time to fill her head with more information"

Her mother nods in agreement, "tell her she can come with you next time" she says.

"Why?"

Her mother looks down momentarily before locking her gaze with Lexa's, "I haven't been the best mother and this is an understatement but I wasn't lying when I said I want to repair our relationship" she says, "and I want to know the person who managed to make you so happy despite the misery I put you through"

Lexa stays silent for a few seconds before she reaches over the table and takes her mother's hand in hers, "I think she would like to come" she squeezes her mother's hand before letting go. The contact was brief but it seems to have been exactly what her mother wanted but was too afraid to ask.

 

 

\-----------------------

 

 

"Lexa, I'm fine" Clarke laughs a bit when the brunette comes back with three pillows and a warmer blanket.

"Are you sure?" Lexa asks, "I can rearrange the pillows for you and- oh! Are you thirsty? I can bring you water if you want" she quickly says.

"I don't need water" Clarke shakes her head, "besides, I already have two water bottles right here" she points to her left, "which you brought less than an hour ago"

Lexa nods and sits on the bed next to Clarke, "you're not too cold, right?" she cannot help but ask. It simply is impossible for her not to make sure Clarke feels comfortable.

"I feel fine" Clarke says, "It's been a couple days now and I'm feeling way better. I don't have a fever anymore and I barely cough"

"Maybe there is something I can do?" Lexa insists.

Clarke rolls her eyes, "do you wanna know what would make this perfect?" Lexa nods, "if you would get your silly ass over here, cuddle me and kiss me because God knows I have missed that"

Lexa smiles and obliges. She brushes a strand of hair away from Clarke's face and presses her lips to soft, pink ones, "you're beautiful" she whispers.

"Even with my flushed cheeks and dirty shirt?" Clarke laughs.

Lexa nods, "yeah" she says, "absolutely gorgeous" she compliments, brushing her nose against Clarke's.

Clarke pecks her lips and turns around so that Lexa can wrap her arms around her from behind.

Lexa presses her lips on the back of Clarke's neck and the blonde hums happily, "there is something I need to tell you" Lexa says.

She receives a hum in response.

"It's about my meeting with my mother yesterday" she continues.

Another hum.

She starts recounting the meeting to the blonde and is getting to the part of their discussion where Lexa emitted the idea to live with her mom for a couple days when she hears light snoring coming from her girlfriend. She smiles fondly and leaves small kisses on the blonde's neck. ** _I'll tell her tomorrow,_ ** she tells herself.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the user nrcda88 for being the beta reader for this chapter and the ones to come :)


	22. Path of Forgiveness

 

 

Lexa admires Clarke's soft features bathed in the bright light streaming through the small gap between the curtains. The blonde looks peaceful when she sleeps.

Lexa gently brushes some hair away from Clarke's face before leaning down to leave a tender kiss on the blonde's forehead. Clarke's nose scrunches up and her eyes flutter open. She blinks a few times to get used to the sudden light and smiles widely when she sees Lexa, leaning over her.

"Good morning, baby" Clarke smiles and puts a hand behind Lexa's neck to pull her in for a quick kiss.

"Good morning" Lexa smiles back, "Did you sleep well?"

Clarke hums and wraps both arms around Lexa's waist, snuggling closer to her. Lexa leaves a kiss on the top of her head.

"I have to pee, Clarke" she tells the blonde after a few minutes, unable to ignore it any longer. Clarke lets out a small whine of protest but lets go of Lexa's waist anyway.

She unabashedly stares at the brunette's backside as she heads into the bathroom. Lexa turns around and smirks when she notices where Clarke's gaze was directed before the blonde looked away. She chuckles to herself and enters the bathroom, throwing a wink at Clarke over her shoulder.

When she comes back inside the room, Clarke is changing, her upper body entirely bare, "Sorry!" she squeaks out, turning around hastily.

"Lex" Clarke says and the smile can be heard in her voice, "It's nothing you haven't seen before" she points out.

Lexa nods but doesn't turn around. She sits on the bed, her back to Clarke as she waits for the girl to be dressed up. It seems Clarke has other ideas however. The blonde climbs on the bed behind Lexa, still topless, and she taps on the brunette's shoulder.

Lexa turns around and lets out a yelp of surprise when her vision is filled by Clarke's breasts. Clarke places two fingers under her chin and lifts it up to press a lingering kiss on plump lips. Lexa hesitantly puts her hands on Clarke's hips, "You can touch them" the blonde whispers against her lips.

Lexa slides her hands up the blonde's body, setting Clarke's skin on fire. Her hands slowly but surely move to cup Clarke's breasts while the blonde's tongue enters her mouth.

"Clarke..." Lexa whispers.

Clarke hums in question but Lexa shakes her head, silently telling Clarke that she didn't have anything to say. She simply wanted to say her name. A warmth erupts in Clarke's chest and she slips her hands under Lexa's shirt, exploring as much skin as she can.

"Clarke..." Lexa repeats, "Your father is downstairs" she reminds the blonde.

"Then we'll just have to be quiet" Clarke grins and lifts Lexa's shirt over her head.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

"There is something I need to talk to you about" Lexa breaks the silence.

Their naked bodies are pressed together on the bed. Clarke is curled up on Lexa's side and her head is resting on the brunette's chest while the latter runs her fingers up and down the blonde's spine.

Clarke hums in response, eyes closed as she lets herself enjoy this moment of peace, "Tell me" she whispers.

"I was thinking...that maybe I could go live with my mom for a few days..." she says, unsure of what the blonde's reaction will be.

Clarke raises her head from Lexa's chest and supports her weight on her elbow, head dropped into the palm of her hand, "Was it her who came up with the idea?"

Lexa shakes her head, "I did" she reveals, "I really think it could help to spend some more time with her"

"You really want to do this?" Clarke asks, her index tracing the outline of Lexa's jaw. Lexa nods in confirmation, "Then you should do it. You don't need my permission to do things" she says but her voice sounds a bit far away.

Lexa places one hand on Clarke's cheek, "Your opinion matters to me" she softly says. She then notices Clarke's sad look and frowns, "What's wrong, baby?"

Clarke shakes her head and a tear escapes her eye. Lexa stops its descent down Clarke's face by brushing it away with her thumb.

"Tell me" Lexa softly says, "Please"

Clarke sighs and slowly looks up into Lexa's eyes, "Does this mean you're going to go back living with your mom forever?" she asks in a small voice.

Lexa's heart breaks a little, "Not unless you want me to" she earnestly says.

"You're still going to live with us?" Clarke looks up with hopeful eyes.

"I would never leave you willingly" Lexa reassures her, trailing her fingers down the space between the blonde's breasts, "I love living with you and Jake" she looks up at Clarke, "I love you" she murmurs, letting her hand rest on Clarke's hip.

Clarke is now tearing up for a totally other reason, "I love you" she whispers before connecting their lips in a kiss filled with passion and love.

The door flies open and they both let out a scream and cover themselves with the blanket.

"Stop screaming, it's just me" Jake rolls his eyes, "Do you want pancakes or scrambled eggs for breakfast?"

Clarke holds the covers tightly against their bodies, _"Dad!"_ she half-shouts, "Get out"

Jake crosses his arms over his chest, "So pancakes?" he raises his eyebrow, amused.

"Yes, whatever, just leave" Clarke laughs at his antics and motions for him to get out of the room. One look on the side tells her that Lexa is very embarrassed if the crimson color of her cheeks is anything to go by.

"Alright, alright" he raises his hands in the air, backing away from the bed. He's about to close the door behind him when he emerges back into the room, "So, pancakes?"

"Get out!" Clarke shouts with a grin and he laughs before leaving hurriedly.

"That was mortifying" Lexa says, "He's gonna kill me now" she says with a panicked face.

Clarke laughs lightly, "He's not going to kill you" she shakes her head at her girlfriend.

"Umm yes, he is" Lexa argues, "He just walked in on me naked in bed with his daughter" she says, eyes wide.

Clarke starts pressing small kisses all over her face, "He considers you as a daughter as well. If we follow your logic, he'll kill me too" she says, leaving tender kisses down Lexa's neck.

Lexa lets out a soft moan before growing serious again, "I can't go downstairs" she says, "This is way too awkward"

Clarke pulls away from her neck and takes her earlobe between her lips, sliding her tongue on it, "It's going to be fine" she whispers before licking a line from the bottom of Lexa's neck up to the spot behind her ear.

Lexa moves her head to give Clarke more space and she buries her fingers into blonde hair. The door opens once more and Lexa lets out a small scream of surprise.

Clarke groans but doesn't move from where her face is buried into Lexa's neck, "What?" she grumbles.

"Nice red color on your cheeks, Lexa" Jake laughs, "You guys want some strawberries with your pancakes?"

Lexa hides her face with her hands and yelps in surprise when Clarke bites down on the skin of her neck, _"Clarke"_ she whispers loudly.

"You can add strawberries" Clarke says, smirking against Lexa's neck, enjoying how flustered the brunette is in that moment.

Jake nods, "Next time, lock the door" he says with a small laugh and Lexa wants the earth to swallow her whole. The sound of the door closing is the cue for Clarke to start laughing loudly.

Lexa smacks her on the shoulder, "Clarke, it's not funny" she pouts.

Clarke raises her head and kisses her pout away, "You are so freaking adorable" she murmurs.

Lexa smiles and cranes her neck to steal another kiss. She sighs contentedly and looks up at Clarke adoringly, "So you're okay with me living with my mom for a couple days?"

Clarke nods, "I just want you to be happy" she whispers.

"You make me happy" Lexa quickly says and mentally pats herself on the shoulder when a bright smile takes over Clarke's features.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

She spoke to Jake as well, needing to know where he stood on the matter. He was very supportive and told her to do whatever felt best for her which is why she is now sitting opposite her mother at a small café.

"I talked to Clarke and her father" she cuts through the silence. Her mother nods, signaling that she is listening, "They both told me to do what I felt was right"

"Listen, Lexa" her mother grabs her hand and despite Lexa's first instinct to pull away, the brunette lets it happen, "If you have changed your mind about this, I'll understand" she softly says.

Lexa stays still for a few seconds, eyes scanning her mother's for any trace of dishonesty, not finding any. She shakes her head, "I still want to do this"

A smile appears on her mother's face and the woman gives her hand a small squeeze before letting go, "Thank you" she quietly says, "For giving me a second chance"

"This is your last chance" Lexa clarifies, "If you fuck up again-"

"I won't" her mother is quick to say, "I'm serious when I say I want to fix this" she gestures at the two of them, "I missed you so much, sweetie"

Lexa starts tearing up and she swallows the lump in her throat, "I missed you too, mom" she admits because it is true.

She was lucky to have Clarke and Jake around her during those few months but it didn't keep her from missing her mom every now and then. She always had a stronger bond with her mother than with her father and that's why her father's words didn't hurt as much as it hurt to see that her mother was backing him.

Now that she is given the chance to get her mother back, she doesn't want to pass up on that. It doesn't mean she entirely forgives her mother, it simply means she missed her.

"I'll call you to give you the details" she tells her mother, "I have to go now" she says, remembering the dinner with Hannah, Aden and Tris they planned for tonight.

Her mother checks the time and sees that it is already 6pm. She nods and packs up her things before accompanying Lexa outside. They stand awkwardly next to the café before Lexa decides to make the first step. She steps closer and wraps her arms around her mother's waist, immediately sinking into the motherly embrace she never realized she missed.

"I love you, Lexa" her mother tells her while stroking her hair and a few tears escape the brunette's eyes as she nods against her mother's chest.

She doesn't return the words, it's way too soon, but her mother doesn't seem to mind. Lexa walks back home, a small smile tugging at her lips.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

"You're back" Clarke says as she hugs Lexa tightly, "Finally" she sighs contentedly.

"I wasn't gone that long" Lexa argues, laughing quietly.

"Too long" Clarke counters, hugging her even more tightly. She starts leaving kisses in the crook of her neck.

"It tickles" Lexa squirms away, laughing.

They hear the doorbell and know it means Hannah and the kids have arrived.

"Aden is here!" Lexa exclaims, gently pushing Clarke away from her so she can run down the stairs.

"Beaten by a five year old" Clarke mumbles with a fond smile before joining their guests downstairs.

Clarke greets each of the guests and lifts Aden on her hip, "I hear you're trying to steal my girlfriend, buddy?" she says, bumping her nose against his.

He giggles and pokes her nose a few times. Lexa watches them adoringly, eyes soft and lips pulled into a fond smile. She loves to see Clarke interact with Aden. Clarke has a very motherly side that Lexa thinks even the blonde herself isn't aware of.

"Lessa is my girlfriend" Aden says, grinning.

Clarke gasps and shakes her head, "No. She's _my_ girlfriend" she says, brows furrowed in feign anger.

Aden giggles, "No. _My_ girlfriend" he reitarates, giggling at the pout on Clarke's face.

Clarke tugs at the collar of Lexa's shirt and pulls her in for a soft kiss before smiling smugly at Aden, "My girlfriend"

Lexa rolls her eyes at her childish behavior but a smile escapes nonethless. She yelps a bit when tiny hands wrap around her collar and Aden leans forward to peck her lips. Her heart melts and she can see Clarke's eyes are filled with adoration for the little boy. She decides to have some fun too and takes Aden from Clarke's arms, placing him on her own hip, "I choose Aden" she states.

The boy squeals in joy and presses a kiss to Lexa's cheek, "I win" he smiles brightly.

Clarke tries to feign offense but the smile on her face is way too big. She leans forward to whisper into Aden's ear, "Take care of her, alright?" she ruffles his hair.

He nods solemnly then turns towards Jake, Tris and his mother, "Lessa's my girlfriend" he announces proudly, drawing a laugh from the three of them.

"I can see that, champion" Jake says, "She's a really amazing girl, well done" he raises his hand for a high five and Aden claps his tiny hand against his.

Lexa tugs at Clarke's hand and moves her lips close to the blonde's ear, "I'm still entirely yours" she whispers.

Clarke feels a fluttering feeling in her stomach at those words and she lets out a bright smile, grabbing the back of Lexa's neck to kiss her. A tiny hands slip between their mouths and they break apart, "You can't kiss Lessa. She's my girlfriend now" Aden says, causing the people in the room to erupt in laughter.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

"I'm going to miss you so much" Clarke says into Lexa's neck as the brunette finishes packing her things for the weekend she'll spend with her mother.

"I'll miss you too but it's only for a couple days and we can still see each other in the afternoon" she tries to see the positive side of it.

Clarke nods and holds Lexa tighter against herself.

"Clarke"

The blonde hums.

"I can't pack my bag if you don't let go of me" Lexa laughs lightly, running a hand through blonde hair.

"Then don't" Clarke mumbles into her neck, "Stay here with me" she adds.

Lexa smiles and pulls away to gently press her lips against Clarke's, "I have to do this for myself, Clarke" she reasons.

"I know" Clarke sighs, "But I'm still going to miss you" she pouts, tugging at the top button of Lexa's shirt. Lexa has to remind herself why she's doing this because otherwise Clarke might be able to convince her to stay.

Eventually the blonde lets go of her and lets her finish doing the packing. Lexa closes her bag and slungs it over her shoulder, "I'm ready to go" she smiles brightly, "Oh, and I have something else to tell you!" she says, suddenly remembering something.

"What is it?"

"My mom said you could come to the café with me the next time we meet there" she announces.

"Me? Why?"

"She wants to get to know you" Lexa reveals, "You don't have to if you don't want to" she adds, seeing Clarke's dubious expression.

"No, no" Clarke shakes her head, "I want to, I was just surprised, that's all" she smiles.

Lexa mirrors her smile, "Great" she grins, "I'll tell her you said okay" she pecks Clarke's cheek, "Thank you"

"It's nothing" Clarke brushes it off. She gets on the tip of her toes and presses a kiss to Lexa's forehead, "I am incredibly proud of you for doing this" she says before kissing the brunette.

Lexa hums into the kiss and wraps both arms around Clarke's waist to pull her even closer, reducing the distance between them until not an inch of space is left between their upper bodies.

"I have to go" Lexa whispers between kisses, "I told" _kiss_ "my mom" _kiss_ "I'll be there" _kiss_ "at seven"

Clarke hums in acknowledgment but keeps kissing her with fervor, bumping her nose against the brunette's as she changes the angle of the kiss.

Lexa smiles through the kiss. She uses all of her self-control to pull away from it, yet remains as close as possible to Clarke, "I really have to get going" she smiles and pecks Clarke's lips briefly before untangling herself from her.

Jake hugs her when she comes down the stairs and tells her that he is proud to see she is doing all of this to salvage her relationship with her mother. She smiles and thanks him a good five times for everything he has done for her so far before hugging him tightly again, "I love you, Jake" she whispers, "See you in two days" she smiles up at him.

"I love you too, kiddo" he presses a kiss into her hair, "Now go before I start crying" he jokes, shoving her gently towards the door.

She chuckles and waves at him once before climbing into Clarke's car. The blonde climbs in after her, settling behind the wheel. She buckles her seatbelt and starts the car.

When Clarke stops in front of Lexa's house, she looks to her right, "Last chance to change your mind" she tells her, "We can still go back if you want"

Lexa shakes her head, "No, I have to do this" she sends Clarke a reassuring smile.

She breathes deeply and exits the car, walking the short way to the door of her old house. As she walks on the pavement, she is reminisced of that night when she ended up crying on that same pavement. She shakes those thoughts away and knocks on the door.

Clarke slips a hand in hers and she is thankful for the added support. She squeezes the blonde's hand and sucks in a nervous breath when the door opens.

Her mother greets them with a warm smile, "Thank you for doing this, Lexa" she says and receives a nod in reply. She turns her attention to the other girl, "Clarke" she extends her hand, "I believe we haven't properly met. I'm Anastasia Woods"

Clarke hesitates for a couple seconds before shaking the offered hand, "Clarke Griffin and if you so much as upset her, I'll end you" she cuts right through it.

The woman nods, "Understood" she says seriously.

Lexa steps forward but before she enters the house, she grabs Clarke's neck and pulls her in for a small kiss, "I'll see you soon" she whispers against her lips, "Thanks for being so supportive"

Clarke smiles, "Always" she whispers, "I love you" she pecks Lexa's lips.

"I love you too" Lexa quietly says, kissing her once more before entering the house. She waits until Clarke is into her car before closing the door.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

Clarke calls Raven and Luna, asking them if they can come over because, with her dad being off to work, it feels lonely to be alone in her room with no one to talk to.

It takes the two girls less than ten minutes to pull up to the house with snacks and drinks in hand, "Open the door, Griffin!!" Raven yells, knocking loudly on the door.

"I'm coming" Clarke says, "Jesus" she shakes her head at how loud her friends can be. She frowns when she opens the door, "How did you have time to buy all of this?" she asks.

"We didn't" Luna shrugs, "It was somewhere in the cupboards of my kitchen"

"How old are those?" Clarke checks the packet of chips and hums in contentment when she sees it is still good. Her face lights up when she spots the bottle of alcohol in Raven's hand. She snatches it away from her hand and hugs it against her chest.

Luna laughs and enters the house first, followed by Raven, "It's a beautiful house" Luna compliments, having never been here before, "Why didn't you live here before?" she asks, knowing Clarke didn't like her other house, finding it too luxurious.

"My mom didn't want to" Clarke says before leading them upstairs.

"Where's the girlfriend?" Luna asks as she drops on the bed, already opening one of the chips packets.

"She will spend the weekend with her mom" Clarke says as nonchalantly as possible.

Raven frowns, "Isn't she...didn't her mom kick her out of her house?" she carefully asks.

Clarke nods, "Lexa's giving her a second chance" she reveals, "But she will still be living here after this weekend"

"Are you sure of that?" Luna asked, "I mean, what if she decides to go back living with her mom. What would happen then?"

Clarke frowns, "She told me she wouldn't"

Luna sighs, "Yes but anything could happen. She could change her mind" she presents the possibility, "Have you talked to her about that?"

Clarke stays silent for a few seconds, "Briefly" she shrugs sadly, "She wouldn't leave me, right?"

Raven and Luna exchange a look before the latina speaks, "Maybe you should call her and clear things up once and for all"

Clarke hesitates, "She's probably busy. I don't want to bother her..."

Raven rolls her eyes, "That girl is crazy in love with you. She will stop whatever she's doing the second she sees your name on the screen"

Clarke wants to argue further but Raven is already pressing on Lexa's contact name. The phone is then shoved into her hands and she waits nervously while the phone beeps but no one picks up and it goes to voicemail.

_"Hello, this is Lexa Woods. I am afraid I am not available for the mom- Clarke! Stop laughing, dammit! I'm trying to-"_

The familiar sound of Lexa's voicemail reaches her ears and Clarke cannot help but smile, being reminisced of the day they recorded it.

 

 

_\---One month ago---_

 

 

_"You need a voicemail" Clarke says as she fumbles with Lexa's phone._

_"Why?"_

_"So that people know that you're not available when they try to call you, duh" Clarke says, motioning for Lexa to come closer._

_"It's not like many people call me" she rolls her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips._

_Clarke shakes her head, "Then we'll just do it because it's fun" she says, handing the phone back to Lexa._

_Lexa doesn't understand the point but obliges. She starts the recording, throwing one last look at the blonde._

_"H-Hello" she starts, "Ummm....I don't know what to say- oh, I know!" she exclaims._

_Clarke tries to muffle her laughter. She grabs the phone and deletes the recording, "Adorable" she whispers as she starts a new one._

_"Hello, this is Lexa Woods. I am afraid I am not available for the mom- Clarke! Stop laughing, dammit! I'm trying to-" the beeping sound indicating the end of the voicemail sounded through the room._

_Clarke explodes in laughter and rolls on the bed, highly amused._

_"You made me mess it up!" Lexa accuses._

_"I think it's a pretty nice voicemail" Clarke says, still laughing, "It changes from others"_

_Lexa crosses her arms in front of her chest, pouting, "I want to do it again"_

_Clarke shakes her head, "No way. This one is perfect" she says, placing the phone in the drawer of the nightstand, "Besides, there are other things I want to do"_

_"What things?" Lexa frowns._

_Clarke pushes her on the bed and straddles her before leaning down to capture her lips, "Those things" she whispers._

 

 

_\---Present time---_

 

 

"She's not replying" she says, smiling down at her phone, still stuck in her memory of that day.

Raven narrows her eyes at her, "Then why are you smiling down at your phone like a love-struck puppy?"

"I'm not" Clarke denies, pocketing her phone.

"Oh god, they probably have some kind of sappy memory with voicemails" Raven groans and Luna laughs at the blush that takes over Clarke's cheeks, confirming Raven's suspicions.

 

 

\----------------------

 

 

Lexa's surprised by how easy it is to fall back into her life with her mom. She has to give some credit to her mother because she has been trying really hard to make her feel as comfortable as possible without coming off as overbearing.

Her phone rings halfway through dinner and she pulls it out to see that it is an incoming call from Clarke. Her mother senses her hesitation to answer during dinner.

"Is it Clarke?" she asks and receives a nod in answer, "You can answer if you want"

Lexa looks down at the device for a few seconds before shaking her head, "I'll call her back later" she says, declining the call.

"You don't have to" her mother says.

"It's okay" Lexa assures her, "I offered to come here because I want to make this work so I'm not going to be on my phone during dinner"

Her mother nods and smiles, "You have no idea how happy I am to have you back here" she says.

Lexa looks away nervously, "Mom...you know this isn't forever, right?" she asks, needing to make sure.

Her mom is taken aback, "What do you mean?" she asks quietly.

Lexa sighs. She doesn't want to do this right now but she needs to clarify things, "After this weekend, I will go back living with the Griffins"

Her mother seems disappointed but she nods in acceptance, "I understand" she quietly says.

"That doesn't mean you won't see me anymore but, the Griffins...they're my family" Lexa regrets the way she worded it when she sees a flash of hurt in her mother's eyes, "And so are you" she hurries to add, "But I can't leave them...I'm sorry"

"No, Lexa" her mother shakes her head, _"I_ am sorry. This situation we are in...it's my fault and you shouldn't make sacrifices to protect my feelings" she grabs Lexa's hand, "You're right to do what's best for you"

Lexa nods and they finish eating in relative silence, sometimes stopping to ask about the few months they spent apart. Lexa curiously asks about how her mother found a job and Anastasia eagerly explains how one of her friends knew the owner of the diner and helped her get the job.

Lexa is happy for her. Despite all the hurt her mother has caused, she remembers pretty vividly how much they used to struggle with money and she is happy to know her mother can sustain herself despite her father's absence.

It feels weird for Lexa to enter her old bedroom again. She brushes her fingers against the wooden headboard and the photographs hanging above it. She feels a sudden urge to cut her father out of each and everyone of them. Seeing the man's face reminds her of the nightmare she's had before Nia was put behind bars and chills runs through her body at the memory.

She feels a hand on her shoulder and flinches away out of surprise, a hand clutched to her chest, heart beating fast.

"Sorry" her mother apologizes, "I brought you your stuffed animal" she pulls out a stuffed lion from a bag, "I know you couldn't sleep without it before and you didn't have time to take it with you when..." her mother stops speaking, head angled towards the floor.

Lexa takes the stuffed lion and smiles down at it. It kind of reminds her of Clarke, "Thanks, mom" she says, holding the lion close to her chest.

It dawns on her that, even though she could never fall asleep without her stuffed lion before, when she was with Clarke, she slept better than she ever did. This makes her smile even more brightly.

Her mother tells her that she's going to head to bed and that Lexa can use the shower if she wants to. She places a small kiss on Lexa's forehead, "I love you, Lexa" she quietly says before closing the door behind her.

Lexa rummages through her small wardrobe to retrieve underwear, a plain white shirt and grey shorts before leaving her room to go to the small bathroom at the end of the hallway. She closes her eyes as the water drips down her body and thinks over the events of the past couple weeks. Her mother's return isn't something she expected but she realizes now how happy she is for it.

She gets out of the shower, dries herself, and puts on her clothes before brushing her teeth and her hair. She drops on her bed once she is back in her room and pulls out her phone to finally call her girlfriend back. She feels bad for not picking up earlier but she knows Clarke will understand why she did so. She presses her finger on Clarke's contact and waits for her to pick up.

It takes two rings before her ears are blessed with the sound of her girlfriend's raspy voice, _"Hey, baby"_ the blonde says.

"Hey" Lexa is already smiling brightly, "I'm sorry for hanging up on you. We were eating" she explains.

_"It's fine"_ Clarke brushes it off, _"How did it go? Was it nice?"_ she enquires, _"You'll tell me if anything happened, right?"_

Lexa chuckles, "Of course I'll tell you" she says, holding the phone close to her ear as she lays down on her bed, "It went really well" she smiles, "We talked about her job, about school....about you" she adds, her eyes soft.

_"You talked about me?"_ Clarke can't hide the surprise in her voice, _"What did you say?"_ she curiously asks.

Lexa smiles, "She asked me about you and...I said things" she says, not giving away anything.

_"Oh, come on!"_ Clarke protests, _"You gotta give me something"_ she requests, _"You can't just say this and then leave me hanging"_

Lexa giggles in amusement.

_"I love your laugh"_ Clarke blurts out through the phone, _"I really fucking love it"_

Lexa sucks in a quick breath at the admission, "I love you" she whispers into the phone, "But flattery will get you nowhere, Griffin"

_"Is that so?"_ Clarke seductively says into the phone, _"What if I told you that you are the sexiest, most beautiful woman I have ever seen and I would love to be here with you so I could show you how much I truly mean that?"_ she rasps out.

Lexa stays silent and tries to stop the images popping into her mind. Images which are far from innocent.

_"Lexa?"_ Clarke says and the smirk is evident in her voice. Lexa hums, _"Did I break you?"_ Clarke asks with a small laugh.

"No" Lexa lies, "I'm good"

Clarke hums non-commitedly, _"So are you gonna tell me what you said about me or do I have to guess?"_

Lexa smiles and gives in, "I told her about how amazingly supportive and beautiful you are"

_"And?"_ Clarke asks, sensing there is more to it.

"And that I love you more than I have ever loved anyone in my entire life" she all but whispers, still a bit reticent at the idea of laying her feelings on the table.

_"I love you too, baby"_ Clarke murmurs, _"I wish you were here right now"_

Lexa hears some movement into the phone as well as some sort of gagging sound, "Clarke? Is there someone with you?"

_"Just Raven and Luna. I'm in the bathroom but they're standing right behind the door"_ Clarke answers before Lexa hears her say something, supposedly to Raven, _"Shut up, I'm_ _not whipped"_

Lexa smiles widely, "Hello, Raven" she loudly says before lowering her voice to a whisper, "Can you hit her for eavesdropping on the conversation?"

Clarke laughs and the line is silent until she hears a small _ow_ and some shuffling, _"It's done"_ Clarke proudly says.

"Is everything alright for you?" Lexa asks.

_"Yeah, besides the fact that I miss you a lot"_ Clarke softly says, _"Shut up, Raven"_

Lexa laughs lightly, "Jake doesn't miss me too much?"

_"He does. He's currently crying in his room"_

"You're lying" Lexa says, chuckling.

_"I wish I was"_ Clarke laughs before growing serious, _"Look, I know we already spoke about it a little but...are you sure you won't want to live with your mom permanently after this weekend?"_

Lexa frowns, "Is that what you want me to do?"

_"No..." Clarke says, "But if this is what you want to do, then I'll respect it"_

"Clarke, I want nothing more than to live with you and your father for the years to come. This weekend isn't going to change that"

_"Really?"_

"Really" Lexa smiles and closes her eyes, a bit tired from the day, "Tell me about your evening" she whispers into the phone.

_"You want to know about my evening?"_

Lexa hums, "I just really wanna hear your voice" she murmurs, using her free arm to hold her stuffed lion against herself.

Clarke starts recounting the events of her evening, from what she ate to Raven and Luna's antics, without forgetting to mention the nice and long shower she's had just to tease the brunette a little.

Lexa hums and smiles when Clarke tells her about Raven's suggestion to buy a piñata for her birthday which isn't until at least six months from now but _"it is never too early to_ _plan your birthday, Clarke"_ the latina said.

_"You sound tired, babe"_ Clarke whispers, _"You should get some sleep"_

Lexa shakes her head, "No, I'm fine" she mumbles sleepily, "You can keep talking...I'm listening"

Clarke laughs a bit and Lexa tiredly smiles at the sound, _"Go to sleep, baby"_ she says, _"I'll call you tomorrow morning, I promise"_

Lexa wants to protest but feels too tired for that, "m'kay" she mumbles, "I love you a lot" she says, on the brink of falling asleep.

_"I love you a lot too"_ Clarke replies, _"Sweet dreams, baby"_ she whispers before hanging up the phone.

Lexa places the phone on the nightstand and buries herself into the blanket, falling asleep almost instantly.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

She is woken up by the loud buzzing of her phone against the nightstand. She rubs the sleep off her eyes and picks it up, wincing at the bright light coming from the screen.

 

_**Clarke - 2.24am** _

_Heyyu baby i lovf youu and i miss yoi a wjole lot_

 

_**Clarke - 2.24am** _

_U arez soo beaitiful_

 

She frowns and shakes her head with a smile at her girlfriend's drunk texting.

 

_**Lexa - 2.25am** _

_Clarke, are you drunk?_

 

She doesn't receive another message but a few minutes later she gets a phone call from the blonde.

"Clarke?"

She hears some giggling before Clarke speaks and she tries not to smile at the sound.

_"Hey, babyyy"_ Clarke slurs, _"you got my messages!"_ she excitedly says.

Lexa grins at Clarke's drunken words, "I did and it was really sweet but it's two in the morning" she gently says.

She hears a gasp from the other end, _"Shit, did I wake you up?"_ Clarke asks but doesn't wait for an answer, _"I'm sooo sorry"_ she profusely apologizes.

"Why are you drunk, Clarke?" Lexa asks though her voice holds no hint of judgment.

She hears Clarke hiccup and hush someone in the background, _"Raven brought vodka"_ she says before giggling uncontrollably.

Lexa smiles and calls out Clarke's name. When it doesn't work she tries another approach, "Baby?" she rolls her eyes fondly when the term of endearment gets a reaction from her girlfriend.

_"Yeah?"_

"Can you do something for me?" Lexa asks.

_"Anything for you"_ Clarke slurs.

"Can you go inside the kitchen, pour yourself a drink of water and drink it? Also, eat something"

The line is silent before Clarke lets out a small okay and the brunette hears some shuffling and someone falling on the ground.

"Clarke? Are you okay?"

The blonde giggles into the phone, _"I'm fine"_ she says. A few seconds later, she informs Lexa that she is in the kitchen, _"I drank it all"_ she says, proud of herself.

"Good, now eat something" Lexa instructs.

_"You're sooo smart"_ Clarke slurs.

Lexa can hear some munching and she is at least glad Clarke is listening to her instructions. Ten minutes later, Clarke is done eating and apparently feels a bit better.

"Alright, go to sleep now" Lexa softly says, "And pray that you won't have a hangover"

Clarke hums and Lexa hears her slipping into bed, _"You're the best, Lex"_ she murmurs, _"Stop hitting me, Raven"_ she says more quietly, _"I love youuu, Lexa. Goodnight"_

"I love you too" Lexa says before hanging up.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

Clarke is pacing into the living room, staring at her phone while waiting for Lexa's call. She thought they would have been able to see each other more often during the weekend but it turns out Lexa's mother planned to take her daughter to the zoo on Saturday and to the movies on Sunday, not leaving much time for them to hang out. They saw each other for an hour on Saturday but it wasn't enough for Clarke because she became used to having Lexa around all the time.

It was now Monday morning and she was getting impatient.

"Sweetie, you do know that staring at your phone won't make her call sooner, right?" Jake says as he presses a kiss to her head before leaving for work.

"I know" Clarke sighs when the door slams behind him.

She drops on the couch, placing her phone beside her on the armrest. She hears it vibrate and quickly grabs it. Her excitement turns into disappointment when she sees it is only a text from Raven.

 

_**Rae - 10.23am** _

_Open the front door_

 

She frowns at the cryptic message.

 

_**Clarkey - 10.23am** _

_Why?_

 

_**Rae - 10.23am** _

_Don't ask questions. Just open the door_

 

Clarke gets up slowly, confused by the texts, wondering what she will find behind the door.

 

_**Clarkey - 10.24am** _

_You're being really weird right now_

 

She pockets her phone and turns the doorknob.

She lets out a small squeal of joy when she sees Lexa standing behind the door, a flower bouquet in her hands. She jumps into Lexa's arms, being careful not to crush the flowers, "I missed you" she whispers into the brunette's neck.

"I missed you too" Lexa smiles widely and inhales Clarke's familiar scent, "It was weird sleeping without you"

"Tell me about it" Clarke says then she pulls away and her gaze falls onto the flowers in Lexa's hand, "They're beautiful"

"Oh, those?" Lexa asks, "They're for Jake" she waits a few seconds, watching Clarke's face fall, before letting a smile escape, "I'm just kidding. They're obviously for you" she hands them to the blonde.

"They better be for me" Clarke grins, smelling the flowers, "It smells really nice" she smiles at her girlfriend before pulling her in for a soft kiss, "Thank you"

She takes a big vase and fills it with water so she can place the flowers in it, keeping them hydrated.

"Is there a reason you bought them?" Clarke frowns, trying to think of what date it was today.

"Do I need a reason to bring flowers to my beautiful girlfriend?" Lexa wraps her arms around the blonde's waist, "I just missed you and I wanted to see that beautiful smile of yours" she pecks her lips.

"Charmer" Clarke says with a slight blush, "You look good" she compliments, tracing her fingers over Lexa's face.

Lexa smiles and turns her head to the side to kiss the palm of Clarke's hand, "And you look absolutely gorgeous, like always" she responds with a charming grin.

"Keep it up and you might get lucky tonight" Clarke kisses the brunette's cheek and drapes her arms over her shoulders.

"Cuddling with you is more than enough for me" Lexa sweetly says.

"Ugh, stop being so damn perfect" she groans as she buries her face into Lexa's neck.

"I'm not perfect" Lexa denies.

"Yeah, yeah. I know, _perfection does not exist, Clarke"_ the blonde repeats the words Lexa had told her once.

"If perfection does not exist, you are the closest thing to it I have ever seen" the brunette retorts.

"Is someone whispering all those great lines to you in a hidden earpiece? Because you are way too good at this"

"You make it easy" Lexa grins.

Clarke smiles and kisses her softly, lips moving slowly together, "I've missed your lips"

"Only my lips?" Lexa raises an eyebrow.

Clarke smiles brightly, "I missed all of you" she murmurs, "Was it cool to go to the zoo?"

A bright smile takes over Lexa's features, "It was great! I saw lions!" she exclaims, "Which makes me think..." she trails off, "I brought something back from my old house" she grins.

Lexa looks through her bag and retrieves her stuffed lion, holding it up for Clarke to see, a big grin etched onto her features.

"It's cute" Clarke smiles adoringly, "What's his name?"

"He's called Simba" she says with big smile.

Clarke laughs a bit, "I should have known seeing how much you love Disney movies"

"He reminds me of you" Lexa says.

"Why is that?"

"Because of your blonde hair and the way you look all powerful and fierce whenever you're angry about something" Lexa grins, "Also because, you know, the lion is like the king of the jungle and...well, you are my queen" she detaches her eyes from the stuffed animal to look into blue eyes, her lips pulled into a soft smile.

Clarke looks at her lovingly before pulling her in for a searing kiss, "Yeah, you're definitely getting lucky tonight" she says before reconnecting their lips.

 

 


	23. A Paradise on Earth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for taking so long to update this. I was on vacation for the past two weeks and then when I came back I cut my thumb and index finger with the glass of a light bulb, making it hard for me to write (because I write on my phone and therefore use my thumbs). I hope you'll like it! Comments are always greatly appreciated :)

 

 

Clarke wakes up to the feeling of something tickling her cheek. She cracks an eye open and her vision is filled with Lexa's stuffed lion which the brunette is holding tightly against herself. Clarke smiles fondly and grabs her phone to take a quick picture of the scene before her, then she places her phone back in the drawer of her nightstand and lays back down. She slowly tries to pry away the stuffed animal from the tight grip Lexa has on it but the brunette won't let go of it.

"No" Lexa mumbles, holding it closer to herself, "It's my lion" she says, eyes still closed.

Clarke sighs and gives up, "What about me?" she says, "I want a hug too"

Lexa immediately lets go of her stuffed animal, throwing it further down the bed. She then wraps her arms around Clarke, hugging her tightly. The blonde hums in contentment and threads her fingers through Lexa's hair, tracing small patterns on her scalp.

"I think my dad has something planned for this week" Clarke quietly says. Lexa hums, too wrapped up in the soothing feeling of Clarke's fingers in her hair to say anything, "He's been acting all happy and excited this week" Clarke says, mostly to herself.

Lexa looks up at her, "Your father always acts all happy and excited" she points out.

"Yeah but this time, it's even more than usual" she says, "And he's not the only one. Raven and Luna have been weird the last time they came over. It's like they all know something we don't"

"Maybe everyone is just having a really great week?" Lexa sleepily suggests, burying her face into the crook of Clarke's neck.

"No, it's not that" Clarke says, seemingly sure of herself, "Something is off and I will find out what it is"

Lexa laughs a bit, "Alright" she says before dropping a few kisses to the skin of Clarke's neck, "Now go back to sleep. It's too early for your brain to do exercise like that"

Clarke smiles and obliges, her hand finding its way under the brunette's shirt to trace random patterns on her back, drawing a pleased hum from the girl.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

Clarke drops on a chair at the living room, settling down in front of her father. The man looks up from the computer on which he was working and raises a questioning eyebrow at Clarke, then at Lexa who is standing a few feet away. The brunette shrugs, "I don't even know" she says with a small smile.

"Spill the beans, dad" Clarke slams her hand on the table for dramatic effect and Lexa has a hard time containing her laughter, "What are you hiding from us?"

Jake looks at Lexa with an amused smile which is returned by the brunette and he then turns his attention on his daughter, "I have no idea what you're talking about" he innocently says.

Clarke narrows her eyes, "We have proof. Lying will only aggravate your sentence and make us waste our time"

Lexa decides to intervene, "We just need you to give us the information we need. This doesn't have to be more difficult than it already is" she plays along.

Jake can't help the laughter that bubbles out of his lips.

"You think it is funny, huh?" Clarke accuses, "You won't be laughing when we prove you are guilty for treason towards your own family"

"It's in your best interest to cooperate, sir" Lexa grins, playing into this _good cop/bad cop_ dynamic.

"I will not say anything without the presence of my lawyer" Jake grins.

Clarke drops the act and slumps in her seat, "Come on, dad" she whines, "What are you hiding?"

"It wouldn't be fun if I told you, now would it?" he raises an amused eyebrow at her.

Clarke groans, "I'll figure it out without your help" she points a finger at her father who simply smiles at her.

Clarke grabs Lexa's hand and leads her down the hallway to her father's study room, opening the door and settling behind his computer.

"Whoa, Clarke" Lexa says, looking back, "Are we allowed to be in here without your father?" she asks.

"Of course we are" Clarke says as she types in her father's password. She looks up and chuckles, "Stop looking down the hall, Lex" she says, "He won't be mad if we sneak in here"

"Are you sure?" Lexas asks, throwing furtive glances down the hallway to make sure Jake isn't coming towards them to throw them out of his office.

"I'm like, seventy percent sure" Clarke says without looking up from the computer.

"I don't know if you thought this was a reassuring thing to say but it's not" Lexa says, trying to pull Clarke away from the computer, "Come on, we'll figure it out another way"

"Wait" Clarke says, holding a finger up. She stays silent for a few seconds as she scrolls through Jake's internet history, "Bingo" she says, smiling brightly.

Lexa, despite her reluctance, cannot help her curiosity, "What did you find?"

Clarke closes the internet pages and smirks devilishely, "If I told you it wouldn't be fun" she repeats her father's words before getting up and leaving the study room.

"Oh, _come on!"_ Lexa shouts after her, running after the blonde up the stairs and into their room, "Tell me what you found" she says, advancing slowly towards Clarke until the back of the blonde's knees hit the edge of the bed and she falls on it.

"Nope" Clarke says, smiling up at the brunette, "You'll have to figure it out on your own" she sticks her tongue out.

Lexa tries to ignore how adorable Clarke looks right now and crosses her arms in front of her chest, "And how do you expect me to do this exactly?"

Clarke shrugs, "I don't know" she grins and laughs at Lexa's facial expression, "You could search on my dad's computer"

Lexa sighs, "Yeah, right" she rolls her eyes, "Tell me" she demands but Clarke shakes her head, an annoying grin etched onto the blonde's lips, "Please?" she tries.

Another shake of head.

Lexa pouts and turns her back to Clarke, sitting on the edge of the bed. She feels movement behind her but doesn't move. She feels soft lips kiss down her neck and wants to let herself enjoy it but pulls away, "No" she mumbles.

She hears a small chuckle behind her before arms wrap around her midsection and Clarke starts leaving kisses up and down her neck before nibbling at her earlobe and licking the spot behind her ear.

Lexa huffs, "Fucking hell" she mumbles before turning around to capture pink lips in hers, kissing Clarke passionately. A hum works its way up Clarke's throat when Lexa's tongue slips into her mouth, meeting her own.

She changes the angle of the kiss and places both hands on Lexa's cheeks.

"Tell me..." Lexa says as she kisses down Clarke's neck, "...what you found" she completes, biting down on the blonde's pulsepoint.

Clarke lets out a moan but shakes her head, "No" she teasingly says, "You have to deserve it" she whispers against Lexa's lips.

The brunette nearly whimpers. She gets up, pushing herself off the blonde and smiles at Clarke's confused expression, a small crease forming between her eyebrows. Lexa pushes the door close and locks it before she walks back to the bed and climbs on it, hovering over Clarke. She dips her head down and kisses the blonde hard.

"I'll show you how much I deserve it" Lexa rasps out before lifting her shirt over her head, tugging at Clarke's to get her to do the same, to which the blonde obliges quickly.

"Confidence looks good on you" Clarke grins and lets out a moan when Lexa's hand cups her center through her sleep shorts, "Damn..." she breathes out.

She tries to grind up against Lexa's hand but all too soon, the brunette retracts her hand, the contact lost.

"Come back" Clarke whines and Lexa smirks.

Lexa attaches her lips back to Clarke's neck and nibbles at the skin, her hands moving to cup Clarke's breasts, gently fondling them, enjoying the way Clarke is whrithing beneath her. Clarke lets out a frustrated huff and Lexa smiles, "What's wrong, Clarke?" she asks but doesn't wait for an answer before taking a stiff nipple in her mouth, sliding her tongue over it.

"Touch me" Clarke breathily says, her hand coming up to tangle her fingers in brown curls, keeping the girl there.

"I thought I was already doing that" Lexa smirks and gently bites on Clarke's nipple, eliciting a moan from her. She hooks her fingers into Clarke's shorts and swiftly pulls them down smooth legs before throwing them aside.

She kisses up Clarke's legs, then the inside of her thighs, purposely avoiding touching her center.

"Damn it, Lexa" Clarke says, brushing her thighs together to try to alleviate the tension but Lexa clicks her tongue and shakes her head before spreading Clarke's legs and settling between them.

She leans down and presses her lips against Clarke's as she places a thigh between the blonde's legs. Quickly, Clarke starts grinding up against her leg.

"That's it, baby" Lexa whispers when she pulls away before dipping her head to suck on Clarke's pulse point in a way that is sure to leave a mark but neither cares.

Lexa retracts her thigh and Clarke lets out a whine of protest that turns into a moan when Lexa's hand slips past the waistband of her underwear and the brunette's fingers graze her clit before dipping further down to press against her entrance.

"Is this what you want, Clarke?" Lexa asks.

Clarke nods desperately, hips lifting from the bed.

"Use your words" Lexa says, starting to move her hand away from the blonde's center.

"Yes!" Clarke loudly says and Lexa covers her mouth with her hand.

"Shhh, babe" she whispers, "You gotta be quiet" she says, remembering that they might not be alone in the house.

Clarke shakes her head, "He's gone" she says, "I heard the car when he left" she tells the brunette who nods.

"What do you want me to do?" Lexa asks, slipping her hand back into Clarke's underwear.

Clarke huffs and bucks her hips up into Lexa's hand, "Just....fuck me" she lets out.

Lexa leaves a tender kiss on the corner of her lips and looks down fondly at her girlfriend, setting a much softer mood than previously which is broken when Clarke once again grinds onto her hand. Lexa runs two fingers through Clarke's folds, almost gasping at how wet her girlfriend is.

She retracts her hand, enjoying the little sounds of frustration Clarke lets out. She brings her fingers to her mouth and wraps her lips around them, humming at the taste, "You taste so good" she says teasingly.

"Lexa, would you just-" Lexa cuts her off by pressing her lips on hers and hooking her fingers in her underwear, pulling it down the blonde's legs.

She pushes two fingers against Clarke's entrance and slips them inside easily with how worked up the blonde already is.

Clarke lets out a loud moan at the feeling of Lexa's fingers finally entering her, "Yes..." she whispers, "Move, baby"

Lexa starts thrusting in and out at a fast pace. Clarke's moans increase in volume and Lexa kisses her searingly, muffling the sounds.

It only takes a couple minutes for Clarke to near her orgasm, "I'm close..." she whimpers, meeting each of Lexa's thrusts with a swift roll of her hips.

Just as she is about to hit her high, Lexa pulls her fingers out and gets up from the bed.

Clarke lets out a strangled noise, eyes wide. She was _this_ close, "What? No" she says, "Come back"

Lexa crosses her arms in front of her chest, "Tell me what you found on your dad's computer"

Clarke's jaw falls, "Seriously?" she asks and Lexa nods, keeping a neutral face. Clarke groans, "Ok, fine. We're spending the next week in a house by the beach. Now, would you please finish what you started?"

Lexa grins and quickly settles back between Clarke's legs. She wraps her arms around the blonde's thighs and dives in, flicking her tongue against Clarke's sensitive organ, knowing the girl is already close. She replaces her tongue with her thumb, drawing tight circles on Clarke's clit and moves her tongue to the blonde's entrance, thrusting in and out at a relentless pace, humming at the taste.

It doesn't take long before Clarke is coming undone beneath her with a loud cry of her name. Lexa helps her through her orgasm and licks her clean before kissing her way up the blonde's body until she reaches her lips.

"See? It wasn't that hard" she jokes, earning herself a small smack on the shoulder. Lexa leans down and kisses her deeply before dropping beside Clarke on the bed. She drapes an arm across Clarke's bare waist and kisses her neck.

Clarke looks at her, "I haven't returned the favor yet" she says, trying to move to roll on top of Lexa but a hand stops her.

"There's no need" Lexa smiles up at her, "You look tired" she explains.

Clarke shakes her head, "I want to do you too" she says, moving her hand down and into Lexa's shorts.

Lexa lets out a quiet whimper, "You don't have to. It's-"

Clarke presses her lips against Lexa's and slips her hand into her underwear to draw lazy circles on the brunette's clit, "Shh, let me" she whispers as she pushes two fingers past the girl's entrance and sets a fast rhythm that soon has Lexa turning into a moaning mess.

A few more minutes and Lexa's back is arching off the bed as she comes, her walls clamping around Clarke's fingers. Clarke slows her pace to let her ride down her orgasm and hums when she brings her fingers to her mouth to get a taste.

Lexa opens her arms and Clarke slips into them, snuggling close, "I've never been to the beach" the brunette reveals after a moment of comfortable silence.

"Really?" Clarke looks up. Lexa nods, "Well, we're leaving in two days" the blonde grins up at her girlfriend.

"Two days?" Lexa's smile grows considerably, "Clarke, it's very very soon" she looks down at her girlfriend and Clarke can see her eyes shining with excitement.

Clarke hums, "It is" she confirms.

"You aren't lying, right? We really are going to the beach?" she asks to make sure.

"Of course we are" Clarke grins, "I wouldn't lie about that"

Lexa lets out a small squeal of joy and she wraps her arms around Clarke, holding her tight, "I love you" she whispers into her neck before showering her face with small kisses.

Clarke giggles and raises her head to connect their lips softly, "I love you too"

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

Jake groans when he learns that the girls already knew where they are headed, "I wanted it to be a surprise" he says, lips pressed into a thin line.

"Maybe you shouldn't have left your study room's door open" Clarke smirks.

Jake gasps, "You rummaged through my desk!?" he asks in fake anger.

"Through your computer actually" Clarke grins.

"Oh, if it was only my computer..." he trails off jokingly, "...don't ever do it again" he points a warning finger at the girls.

"Don't worry, dad" Clarke says, "I don't want to stumble across pictures of you in the costume of a fairy ever again" she smirks.

"It was a dare!" Jake says, throwing his hands in the air, "I can't believe you saw that" he blushes and hides his face behind his hands.

"I can't believe you kept those pictures on your computer" Clarke retorts, laughing, while Lexa awkwardly pats Jake's back while trying to muffle her laughter.

Jake laughs a bit and shakes his head, already past his initial embarrassment, "There are a few things you don't know about this trip, though"

"Like what?" Lexa asks, curious.

Jake wiggles his eyebrows, "I have invited a few people to tag along but I won't say who" he says.

"Luna and Raven" Clarke says.

Jake huffs, "Oh, come on!" he says, "How do you even know that?"

Clarke shrugs, "They've been acting weird all week" she explains, "Also, they suck at keeping secrets and yesterday they spilled the beans as soon as we asked them what was up"

"Traitors" Jake mutters under his breath, "Whatever" he says, lifting his bag to carry it to the car and place it into the trunk. Clarke and Lexa do the same with their own bags.

Raven and Luna arrive not too long after, announcing their presence with a loud : _"We're here, bitches!!"_

Clarke rolls her eyes and tells them to just put their bags into the trunk. She frowns when a car stops next to their house and looks at her dad who is smiling widely. Hannah, Tris and Aden get out of the car and the little boy runs towards Clarke and Lexa, wrapping his tiny arms around both their necks, "Hi, Lessa" he presses a kiss to the brunette's cheek, "Hi, Clarke" he then kisses the blonde's cheek.

Hannah greets Jake with a kiss on the lips. Clarke catches the action and smiles brightly, shooting her father a little thumbs up.

Once both trunks are filled with bags, everyone settles into their respective seats ; Aden, Lexa, Clarke and Jake will ride in the man's car while Hannah, Tris, Luna and Raven will be in Hannah's car.

"Alright, let's go" Clarke says, smiling brightly.

"Not quite" Jake says with a smile as he catches sight of their last guest, walking up the street, "Someone hasn't arrived yet"

Lexa and Clarke frown as they get out of the car, "What do you mean?" the brunette asks, confused. She thought everyone was here already.

"Why don't you see for yourself?" Jake smiles and nods in the direction of their last comer.

Lexa's eyes widen in excitement and she runs towards the woman, "Anya!!" she screams as she jumps into her arms.

With everything going on, it has been a few weeks since she has had an art martial class with the woman and she missed it. She also missed seeing Anya.

"Why are you here?" she asks when she pulls away.

Anya laughs, "Well, Luna's my cousin" she reminds Lexa, "And Jake invited me" she explains.

Lexa turns towards the man, "You did?" she smiles brightly.

He nods, "I know you've missed a few of her lessons" he tells the brunette, "That will be the occasion to train a little"

"She missed me too. Right, little fighter?" Anya raises an eyebrow and Lexa eagerly nods in confirmation, "I missed you too" Anya says, "Kinda" she adds, not wanting to sound overly emotional. Lexa wraps her arms around Anya's waist once more and the older woman rolls her eyes, "Alright, enough with this sappy shit" she says with a big smile.

They place Anya's suitcase into the trunk, along with the others and Lexa climbs between Clarke and Aden in the backseat while Anya takes the passenger seat, next to Jake. Jake starts the car and drives away, followed closely by Hannah's car. Lexa lets out an excited sound, throwing her hands in the air and Clarke laughs at her dorkiness.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

Clarke looks to her right during the car ride and smiles fondly when she catches the adorable sight of Lexa sleeping one arm wrapped around Aden and the other wrapped around her stuffed lion. Each day, the blonde finds herself fall deeper in love with Lexa and she wouldn't have it any other way. She doesn't want to remember what her life was like before Lexa came in it because she knows it can only be perfect if the brunette is right here with her.

She raises a hand and gently brushes her thumb over Lexa's cheek, smiling when it gets the brunette to frown slightly and tighten her hold on her stuffed animal.

"We're almost there" her father quietly tells Clarke, noticing that all the others are sound asleep. They can't be blamed for it though since they have been driving for over five hours.

Clarke nods and gently shakes Lexa awake, eliciting a small noise of protest, followed by incoherent mumbling. The blonde's lips pull into a soft smile and she leans forward to press kisses over Lexa's cheek and down her neck before whispering into her ear, "Wake up, baby"

Lexa lets out a small humming sound before her eyes flutter open. She looks around confusedly until her gaze lands on Clarke and she smiles lazily, "Hey" she murmurs.

"We're almost there" Clarke repeats her father's words and Lexa's eyes slightly widen.

"Yeah?" she says excitedly, looking out the window to see that the scenery is different from the one at home. High palm trees are standing on the right side of the road and the houses are colorful, painted in bright shades, "It's beautiful" she says, catching a glimpse of the sea in the distance.

Clarke smiles at her girlfriend's enthusiasm. She is so happy to be able to offer this to Lexa who has never been to the beach before.

Lexa smiles brightly at her, "Thank you" she says quietly.

"I'm not the one who planned this trip" Clarke reminds her.

Lexa nods once, "Thank you, Jake" she tells the man who smiles in response.

"You're welcome, kiddo" he says.

They drive for a couple more minutes before Jake parks the car in the driveway of a huge beach house. Lexa's eyes widen at the sight and both girls hurry out of the car.

"Whoa" Lexa says, looking up at the house, "It's so beautiful and...and huge" she says in complete awe.

The house is immense and white. Its outline is clean and geometric. The windows are large floor to ceiling ones and there are plants along the driveway as well as a path that Lexa can see is leading to the beach which is only about forty meters away from them.

 

[the beach house](http://www.rickettsluxury.com/rentals/fotos/2/147024112777acd9995782f9e43362cdb2feacd8b6/big14720715609bab8023e5962e91eeddd5f93ae9a56d.jpg)

 

Jake wakes Anya and Aden up after throwing the keys into Clarke's hands so the girls can go explore the house. Another car stops behind them and Raven and Luna hurry to get out of it and run up to the entrance of the house.

"Damn, Griffin" Raven says, low-whistling, "I knew there was a reason why I was friends with you" she winks before pushing past the blonde and into the house, eyes widening at the sight.

After a long hallway, you can find a huge living room with white couches and a beautiful coffee table. It opens onto the terrace where there's a spacious pool as well as a huge backyard. Most rooms have a perfect view on the beach.

 

[the downstairs living room](http://resize.wimco.com/vacation-rental-photo_Anguilla_LHE-BHS_Villa-The-Beach-House_bhsliv01_desktop.jpg?w=693)      [the pool during the day](http://www.anguillabeachhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Anguilla-Luxury-Beach-House-Pool.jpg)        [the pool at night](http://resize.wimco.com/vacation-rental-photo_Anguilla_LHE-BHS_Villa-The-Beach-House_bhspol03_desktop.jpg?w=693)

 

Raven suddenly sets off on a sprint upstairs, "I'm going to get the best room!" she yells out and Clarke's eyes widen comically.

"No freaking way!" she yells, running after Raven to claim the best room as hers.

Lexa stays with Luna in the living room, taking in the beauty and immensity of the house they are standing in. At this point, it is more of a villa than a house.

"Jake..." she turns towards the man, "This is too much" she whispers, tears pricking at the corner of her eyes.

"Nothing is too much for my girls" he kisses the top of her head, "I think Clarke will need your help upstairs" he chuckles.

As if on cue, they hear some shouting from upstairs, _"This is my room, Griffin!"_ Lexa hears Raven say.

She heads upstairs and her jaw falls at the sight. She's pretty sure she will get lost in this house. She follows the sound of voices and gasps when she enters a bedroom with a large white bed with blue covers at the bottom and which has a direct view on the beach.

 

[the bedroom](http://www.anguillabeachhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/anguilla-luxury-beach-house-master-bedroom-1.jpg)           [the view from the bed](https://cdn.wheretostay.com/prop_photos/91000/91902/The-Beach-House-699.jpg)

 

"Whoa" she breathes out.

"Lex, tell Raven that this is our room, please" Clarke says, tearing her away from her admiration.

"Oh, um, yeah" she nods, "This is...definitely our room" she says, looking around her with a small smile playing on her lips.

"Ha!" Clarke points a finger at Raven, "Get out of our room" she shoves the girl out.

Raven scoffs, "So what? Just because she says it's your room, then it is?" she asks, "No way, Griffin. I was there first"

"That's a lie" Clarke says, "And my dad pays for the house therefore I get to choose my room" she crosses her arms in front of her chest.

Raven sighs, "Alright but just know that you suck and I don't like you anymore"

"Oh? Well, I guess I'll just have to tell my dad to drive you back home then" she shrugs nonchalantly.

"What!? No, wait! I love you, Clarke Griffin. Please let me stay in your super freaking amazing beach house" Raven pleads.

Lexa laughs at the girl's antics and sits on the bed, amazed by the view she has from here. This week will be the best of her life, she can feel it.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

Anya walks up to Lexa and hands her her training uniform which she left at the gym the last time, "You're gonna need that soon" she smiles at the brunette, "Very cool house, by the way" she tells Jake.

"Thanks" he says, "I think so too" he says, looking around.

Tris nearly tripped over her own feet when she entered the spacious villa, claiming she had never seen anything so beautiful in her life. Aden as for him, was just happy for the change in scenery. Also, he was glad he now had more space to run around the house.

"Thank you for inviting us along" Hannah says to Jake when they're both sitting down on one of the couches in the upstairs living room.

 

[the upstairs living room](https://cdn.wheretostay.com/prop_photos/91000/91902/The-Beach-House-_MG_5776-LAYER.jpg)

 

He smiles and gestures for her to come closer so he can drop a kiss on her lips, "You guys are part of the family now" he tells her.

They hear loud steps coming from downstairs and a few seconds later, Raven is standing in front of them, a huge grin on her features, "You didn't tell me there was a game room" she says, "Can I have the keys to it?"

Jake smiles and looks through his bag, retrieving a small key, "Don't lose it" he tells the girl before handing it to her.

"Thanks, old man!" Raven yells as she runs down the stairs.

"I'm not old!" Jake shouts after her.

 

 

\--------------------

 

 

[the entertainment room](https://www.redsavannah.com/-/media/countries/anguilla/anguilla-villas/the-beach-house/the-beach-house-anguilla-entertainment-room.jpg?h=610&la=en&w=1400&udi=1&cropregion=0,304,2000,1176&hash=BFC42F94E3E451CC7087522A9A3BF317258D4784)

 

Lexa nudges Clarke's side as they wait for their turn during a game of pool against Luna and Raven, "Clarke, can we go to the beach?" she asks, seeing as it is only three in the afternoon.

"Of course" Clarke smiles warmly at her and drops her pool stick behind her, "We're out" she informs Raven and Luna.

"What? No, we were winning!" Raven shouts.

Clarke shrugs, "Maybe next time" she grins, "We're going to the beach. If you wanna come with..." she trails off.

Raven quickly moves, dropping the pool stick and sprinting upstairs to change into her swimsuit.

Clarke laughs and turns towards Luna, "How do you put up with her all the time?" she jokes.

"It's not always easy" Luna laughs, "But I love her. She's amazing" she smiles dreamily.

"Aw, Luna's in love" Clarke teases, poking Luna's stomach with her index finger.

"Shut up" Luna grumbles, walking out the room, a smile tugging at her lips.

Clarke grabs Lexa's hand and leads her upstairs. She rummages through their bags and retrieves both of their swimsuits. Her own is a black bikini while Lexa's is a white one.

"I got sunglasses for you" Clarke says, holding them up for Lexa to see.

Lexa accepts them with a smile, "Thank you" she quietly says, looking down at the glasses before her eyes lift to meet Clarke's.

The blonde frowns at the tears she sees in green eyes, "What's wrong? Do you not like them? I can give you mine of you want" she offers, stepping closer.

Lexa shakes her head, "No, it's not that" she murmurs, "I just feel...so happy" she says, "It's stupid, I don't even know why I'm crying" she laughs at herself through her tears.

Clarke steps even closer and brushes her tears away with her thumbs, "It's not stupid" she says before pressing her lips to plump ones in a slow kiss, "We should change into our swimsuits" she whispers.

Lexa leans her forehead against Clarke's and sighs softly, nodding, "Okay" she murmurs back.

Once they are changed, having put a light sweater on top of their bikinis, they grab the necessary items and slip on sandals to complete the short walk to the beach where Raven and Luna are already waiting for them.

"Took you long enough" Raven says, dropping her towel onto the sand before laying on it.

Lexa looks around with a bright smile. She takes off her sandals and smiles at the feeling of her feet digging into the sand.

 

[the beach](http://www.myprivatevillas.com/media/25529/villa-caribbean-anguilla-luxury-beachfront-pool-beach-house-cov.jpg)

 

"It's so amazing here. It's like a paradise on earth" she breathes out and feels two arms wrap around her middle and smiles.

"Glad you like it" Clarke says before pressing a series of kisses on her neck, "Want to go in the water or stay on the beach?"

"In the water" Lexa says, turning in the embrace. The brunette's eyes are shining with excitement. She pulls her sweatshirt over her head and is about to head into the sea when a hand gently grabs her wrist.

"Don't you think you're forgetting something?" Clarke asks, holding up a bottle of sunscreen.

Lexa smiles sheepishly and walks back towards Clarke. She takes the sunscreen and spreads it over her body. She struggles to reach her back and hears a laugh from behind her. She huffs and hands the sunscreen to Clarke, "Can you do my back, please?" she asks.

"Since you asked so nicely" Clarke grins, "Sit down, baby" she instructs before sitting down behind her. She places a good amount of sunscreen on her hands and starts smearing it on Lexa's back, careful to cover every inch of skin. Sunburns are a bitch and she doesn't want Lexa to get burned.

"Thank you" Lexa says, "Do you want me to do you?" she blushes when Clarke wiggles her eyebrows suggestively at her, "I didn't mean that" she mumbles and Clarke laughs, handing her the sunscreen bottle.

Clarke takes off her sweatshirt and Lexa's eyes fall to the blonde's ample chest before she scolds herself and tears her gaze away. If Clarke noticed, she doesn't comment on it. The smirk on her face hints that she did notice, though.

Lexa starts rubbing the sunscreen all over Clarke's body. On her arms, on her back, on her stomach and on her legs, blushing a bit when her hands get close to the girl's center.

"Try not to have sex on the beach" Raven yells out, "It's a public place, in case you forgot"

Clarke flips the girl off and Lexa's eyes once again fall to Clarke's chest, unsure if she should smear sunscreen there too or if Clarke will want to do it herself.

"You can touch them, you know" Clarke says with a small laugh and Lexa blushes heavily.

Her cheeks keep that red color the whole time she applies sunscreen on the blonde's chest and Raven's endless teasing doesn't help.

Finally, they start walking towards the water and Lexa sighs when it is at the level of her waist, waves smacking against her stomach. She moves around in the water, getting used to the temperature of it.

When she looks up, she sees the smirk that Clarke has on her face and knows that it cannot be good. Her suspicions are confirmed when a second later, the blonde splashes her with water.

Lexa hisses at the coldness of the water hitting her skin, "Clarke!" she whines, the blonde laughing loudly.

"Got you" Clarke grins, sticking her tongue out at her girlfriend.

Lexa's eyes narrow and she starts walking towards a fleeing Clarke. She splashes the blonde, eliciting loud laughter. She does it again and again and Clarke shouts for her to stop between her laughter.

Lexa interrupts her movements and walks towards Clarke, stopping when she notices she is starting to lose her foothold.

Clarke turns around and notices Lexa hasn't followed her into the less shallow parts of the sea. She swims back towards the brunette, noticing the way she keeps staring down at the depths of the water, "Hey, what is it?"

"N-nothing" Lexa stutters out, forcing a smile on her face as she walks backwards until the water only reaches up to her chest and her feet fully touch the ground.

Clarke follows her and takes her hands in hers, "You can tell me anything. You know that, right?" her eyes bore deeply into green.

Lexa looks down and starts playing with Clarke's fingers as she mumbles something unintelligibly.

"What was that?" Clarke gently asks.

Lexa blushes in embarrassment when she repeats her words, "I can't swim" she admits.

Clarke relaxes, happy that it isn't anything bad, "Lex, it's nothing to be ashamed of" Clarke tilts her head up, "Did you think I would make fun of you?" she asks.

Lexa shrugs sadly, "I didn't know..." she mumbles as she looks down at her hands.

"Oh, baby" Clarke wraps her arms around her, holding her close, "It's not your fault if you never had the chance to learn" she whispers.

Lexa nods against Clarke's shoulder, wrapping her own arms around the blonde's waist.

"Do you want to?" Clarke gently asks. Lexa hums in question, "Do you want to learn how to swim?" Clarke clarifies.

Lexa looks behind her at Luna and Raven who are tanning on the beach, unaware of what is being said between Clarke and Lexa. She looks back at Clarke and nods ever so slightly.

The blonde smiles, "Come on, beautiful" she grabs Lexa's hand and leads her towards the deeper part of the sea, "Let's make a swimming champion out of you"

Lexa chuckles a bit and lets herself be guided, her fears erased now that she knows she has Clarke by her side. The next couple hours are spent with Clarke teaching Lexa the basic moves when it comes to swimming. It doesn't come as a surprise to her that the brunette is a fast learner, picking up on things pretty quickly.

Clarke watches on proudly as Lexa swims around, a big smile gracing her features. When the brunette reaches her, she pulls her in for a somewhat awkward hug because they still have to move their legs in order to stay afloat and therefore, sometimes kick each other but they don't really care about that.

Jake and Hannah come down to the beach with Aden to warn them that dinner is ready and they should walk back to the house before it gets cold. Aden lets out a few giggles when he dips his feet into the water, waves crashing against them. Lexa grins and gets out of the water before lifting him in her arms, wetting his clothes in the process.

"Lessa" he giggles, "You're all wet" he pushes at her chest with his small arms and she laughs, letting Hannah take him in her arms.

Aden whines and extends his arms towards Lexa, asking to be taken in her arms again. The brunette raises an eyebrow but agrees to hold him, "I thought you didn't want me to hold you because I would put water on your clothes?" she says with a smile.

Aden hums sleepily and buries his face into her neck, "But I like when you hold me" he whispers against her skin, tickling her.

Her heart melts at his words and she presses a kiss to his temple, "And I like holding you, buddy" she whispers before walking back home.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

[the dining room](http://resize.wimco.com/vacation-rental-photo_Anguilla_LHE-BHS_Villa-The-Beach-House_bhster01_desktop.jpg?w=693)

 

After dinner, they all head to the various bathrooms of the house and Lexa is once again taken aback by how beautiful this place is. The showers are spacious and there even are showers out in the open, though a rock wall prevents them from being seen.

 

[the showers](https://cdn.wheretostay.com/prop_photos/91000/91902/The-Beach-House-Anguilla-bath-area.JPG)

 

Clarke steps into the shower after Lexa, claiming that, this way, they will save time and water. Lexa laughs at her weak excuse and grabs the back of her neck to kiss her deeply.

Nothing happens during their shower beyond light touches and small kisses as they wash each other's hair and body.

Luna suggests a movie night to close the day and they all agree that it is a good idea. Aden is carried upstairs by his mom after he fell asleep on the couch shortly after dinner and all the others head towards the home cinema.

 

[the home cinema](https://manage.isleblue.co/uploads/villas/images/2439/anguilla-villa-the-beach-house-2016-021.jpg)

 

They settle on watching Titanic, despite Anya's complaints and requests to watch a horror film. Lexa and Clarke settle down onto one of the seats in the back and Lexa snuggles into Clarke's side, her hand slipping into her shirt to draw circles on the blonde's hip.

Halfway through the movie, they both lose interest, having seen it at least twice already, and start making out. They are in the back anyway so no one can see them. They are also thankful for the loud volume of the movie which covers the sound of their lips moving together.

"I'm so happy to be here with you" Lexa whispers against Clarke's lips.

"Me too" Clarke whispers back before joining their lips again.

She grazes the roof of Lexa's mouth with her tongue and smiles when she is granted access immediately. She smiles internally at the soft moan Lexa lets out when their tongues meet and moves her hand to rake her nails up and down the brunette's abs.

"Could you stop making out, please?" Raven's voice causes them to jump apart, "Some of us are trying to watch the movie and those slurping sounds are rather annoying" Raven adds with a smirk.

"Fuck you, Raven" Clarke says.

"You would" Raven replies and Clarke groans, "You jumped right into that one, Griffin" Raven says before refocusing her attention to the movie playing on the big screen.

Clarke hears her dad let out a muffled laugh and she rolls her eyes, "Shut up, dad" she tells him.

"What did I do?" he asks innocently.

"You know what you did" Clarke counters, "Now if we could just watch the movie..."

"So now she wants to watch the movie but when she was sucking faces with Lexa-"

"Raven!" Clarke hisses loudly, eliciting laughter from everyone except Lexa who is slowly sinking into her seat, thankful for the darkness of the room covering her blush.

 

 

\---------------------

 

 

The credits roll on the screen and everyone gets up when Jake turns the lights back on except for Lexa who fondly watches her girlfriend who fell asleep somewhere during the movie. Jake offers to carry Clarke back to her room but Lexa tells him that she's got it.

After everyone has emptied the room, wishing her a goodnight, Lexa carefully places her hands respectively behind Clarke's knees and on her back. She lifts her in her arms and carries her bridal style to their bedroom.

As she climbs the stairs as quietly as possible, Clarke buries her head into her neck, humming contentedly in her sleep. She smiles lovingly down at the blonde and keeps ascending the stairs until she reaches their bedroom and the bed on which she lowers Clarke.

She brushes her teeth and her hair before making her way into the bed, slipping under the covers. She checks her phone and sees she has a message from her mother.

 

_**Mom - 10.34pm** _

_I hope you are having a good time with the Griffins. Goodnight, Lexa. I love you_

 

She smiles and types a reply.

 

_**Lexa - 11.23pm** _

_I'm having a great time. Goodnight, mom :)_

 

She locks her phone and places it on the nightstand before wrapping her arms around Clarke, her front pressed against the blonde's back.

"Goodnight, Lex" she hears Clarke's sleepy voice say and jumps a bit because she thought she was asleep.

She presses a kiss to the nape of Clarke's neck, "Goodnight, Clarke"

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On a less happy note, this story is coming to an end. There will probably be one or two more chapters. I just feel like it would make sense to end it here since they are finally in a good place with no drama surrounding them. I do not plan to write a sequel for this because I already write a lot with the sequel of my other fanfic and I have started writing a new one recently that I will most likely start posting as soon as I finish writing You Could Be My Home. I hope you'll enjoy the rest of the story and maybe I'll see you in the comment section of my other fics :) Thank you all for reading


	24. Family Isn't Always Defined by Blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone :) Some may have noticed that updates now tend to take longer than before and I apologize for it. I have found a small job at my tennis club that consists of looking after a dozen of kids and it takes at least three hours of my day, without mentioning how exhausting it can be lol. I love kids but they have too much energy. Thanks for your understanding

 

 

Lexa is woken up by someone shaking her. She groans and cracks an eye open. The first thing she notices is how dark the room is, meaning it is still the middle of the night.

The second thing she notices is Clarke's figure above her. She frowns, "Clarke? What are you doing, it's..." she checks her phone, "three in the morning"

Clarke grins, "I have an idea" she says, "Get up, we're going to the pool" 

"At this hour? Are you insane?" Lexa hisses, "The water will be freezing"

Clarke shakes her head, "It's warm outside and there is a system to insure the water stays at an appropriate temperature at all times. Come on" she tugs at Lexa's arm.

Lexa looks at her in a mixture of wonderment and disbelief, "You are insane" she reiterates but follows the blonde downstairs anyway.

Clarke leads them outside and gets rid of her shoes, placing them next to the lounge chairs.

Lexa suddenly realizes something, "Wait, Clarke" she says, "We haven't brought our swimming suits" she points out.

Clarke smirks, "We won't need them" 

"What? Clarke I'm not jumping into the water with my clothes" she raises a warning finger.

"I'm not asking you to" she says and observes as Lexa's face fills with confusion, "We're going skinny dipping, baby" she clarifies with a wide grin.

Lexa's eyes widen and she shakes her head, "Nope, no way, nope, no" she says.

Clarke's shoulders slump, "Please, baby" she pleads, "It's gonna be fun"

"Someone could catch us" Lexa hisses, not wishing to be found naked in a pool with her girlfriend in the middle of the night. The possibility of Jake being the one to find them like that sends cold shivers down her spine.

"They won't see us" Clarke stalks towards Lexa and tugs at the collar of her shirt, bringing her closer until their lips are only inches apart, "They're all sleeping" she whispers.

Lexa feels Clarke's warm breath on her lips and feels her resolve start to crumble with each passing second.

"It'll be fun" Clarke promises but Lexa still looks unconvinced.

The blonde leans forward and kisses her hard, drawing a surprised moan from the brunette. She tangles her fingers in brown curls, pulling Lexa even closer. Hands start roaming over clothed bodies and Clarke's lips find their home on Lexa's pulsepoint, sucking on it.

She pulls away to pull her own shirt over her head before recapturing Lexa's lips in hers, "Still don't want to go?" she knowingly asks against Lexa's lips.

"You're not playing fair" Lexa says before grabbing the hem of her shirt and lifting it over her head.

Clarke smiles and they both get rid of the rest of their clothes until they are standing inches apart, completely naked.

Clarke grabs her hand and walks them towards the pool. Lexa cannot help but let her eyes drop to the girl's backside.

Clarke lowers herself into the water and tugs at Lexa's arm to get her to do the same thing. When the brunette is standing in the pool with her, she wraps her arms around her shoulders, their naked bodies pressing together underwater.

"See? It isn't so bad" Clarke raises a knowing eyebrow.

Lexa rolls her eyes and sticks her tongue out at her girlfriend, her fingers gliding up and down her spine, "I never said it was a bad idea" she counters.

"No, you just said, and I quote,  _You are insane"_  Clarke smirks.

Lexa dips her head and kisses her smirk away, "You  _are_  insane" she repeats, "But I love you" she tenderly adds.

Clarke smiles, "I love you too" she whispers before her hand slides down the brunette's body to cup her center.

"Ah..." Lexa moans out, "Clarke, what are you doing?" she whimpers when the blonde's index grazes her clit.

Clarke raises an eyebrow, "Do you really need me to answer that question? Should I make you a drawing?" 

Lexa rolls her eyes and opens her mouth to answer but the only sound escaping is a moan because Clarke has moved two fingers at her opening, and has plunged inside her in one swift movement.

Clarke starts pumping her fingers in and out at a fast pace and Lexa has to wrap her arms around Clarke's shoulders to anchor herself.

"C-Clarke, fuck" she throws her head back and lets out moan after moan, in rhythm with Clarke's thrusts, "More" she demands and Clarke quickly obliges, adding a third finger.

The blonde moves her lips to Lexa's neck. She licks a trail down the brunette's neck and starts nibbling at the skin, biting down on her pulsepoint before soothing the pain with her tongue.

Lexa's nails dig into the skin of her shoulders but the pain barely registers because Clarke is too busy focusing on her girlfriend's pleasure.

She brings her thumb to rub tight circles on Lexa's clit, causing the girl's moans to increase in volume.

She then presses her lips against Lexa's, drowning her moans, and smiles when she feels the girl's walls tighten around her fingers, indicating she is close. She pulls away and presses a kiss to Lexa's jaw, "Come for me, baby"

"Clarke..." Lexa breathes out, the word followed by a series of expletives, and her eyes roll to the back of her head as she comes.

Lexa rests her forehead on the blonde's bare shoulder to catch her breath as she comes down from her high. She then flips them around, walks towards the edge of the pool, and pats Clarke's thighs, "Climb up" she instructs the blonde.

Clarke obliges and sits on the edge of the pool while Lexa settles between her legs, moving her hands up and down Clarke's thighs, "You're beautiful" she says before dipping her head, taking a broad lick at Clarke's center.

The blonde moans and threads her fingers through Lexa's hair, holding her there. Lexa laps at her lower lips eagerly before moving up to flick her tongue against Clarke's clit, drawing a loud moan from her girlfriend.

"Don't stop" Clarke breathes out and Lexa wants to laugh because how can Clarke think she would ever want to stop?

The blonde starts grinding up against her tongue and Lexa puts both hands on her thighs to keep her still, tracing small circles with her thumbs.

"I'm close" Clarke whimpers. She was already worked up from pleasuring Lexa, hence why it didn't take long.

Lexa moves one hand to her entrance and pushes two fingers inside without warning, curling them inside as her lips close around the blonde's bundle of nerves and she sucks on it, throwing Clarke into an intense orgasm.

She slows down the pace of her fingers and flicks her tongue against the blonde's clit until Clarke tugs at her hair to pull her up.

"Too sensitive" Clarke explains with a content smile before letting herself be lowered back into the pool.

Clarke's legs are a bit wobbly and Lexa steadies her by placing her hands on her hips, "Are you okay?" she asks with a small smile.

"Don't look so smug" Clarke retorts.

Lexa kisses her slowly and Clarke hums when she can taste herself on the brunette's lips. She walks them back towards the middle of the pool, giggling.

She is about to kiss Lexa again when she hears people laugh in the upstairs bedroom. She looks up and blushes when she catches sight of Luna and Raven standing on the balcony next to their room. 

Lexa follows the direction of her gaze and quickly places herself in front of Clarke to try and shield the blonde's body.

"Get a room!" Raven loudly says.

Lexa blushes and finds the idea of hiding at the bottom of the pool more enticing by the second. She feels Clarke's head drop against her shoulder blade and knows the blonde is just as embarrassed as her, if not more.

"You are unbelievable" Raven says, shaking her head with a grin before she and Luna go back inside their bedroom, laughing.

"You said they were sleeping" Lexa squeaks out, turning around to face Clarke.

"I thought they would be!" Clarke says, "Do you know many people who are up at three thirty in the fucking morning?"

Lexa shuts her eyes, "This is so embarrassing" she mumbles, hiding her face behind her hands.

Clarke grabs her hands and pries them away from her eyes, "At least now we can say that we had sex in a pool" she grins.

Lexa cannot help the laughter that bubbles out of her lips, "And who are you gonna say that to?" she questions, "Your dad?"

Clarke scowls, "Ew, no" she says in disgust, "I meant, when people ask what is the weirdest place you've had sex in"

"I don't think a pool is the weirdest place there is to have sexual intercourse" Lexa frowns, "I mean, you could do it in..." her eyes widen, "Nevermind" she shakes her head.

"Finish your sentence" Clarke challenges. And Lexa shakes her head again, "Come on, tell me" Clarke bats her eyelashes at her.

"In a parking lot" Lexa answers, blood rushing to her face.

Clarke smiles, "You want to have sex in a parking lot?" she seductively whispers in Lexa's ear, sliding her fingers down the brunette's breasts until they make contact with a hard nipple, "Looks like you do" she brushes her thumb over it.

Lexa gulps hard, "I-It's not what I meant" she stutters out, "And who would even ask you where is the weirdest place you've had sex in?" she diverts back to Clarke's previous words.

"Don't think I didn't see how you avoided that question" Clarke bites down on her earlobe and glides her tongue over it, eliciting an embarrassingly needy whimper from the brunette, "And people will probably ask that a lot when we go to parties in college" she answers.

Suddenly the mood changes from hot to serious as Lexa slightly pulls back to look into Clarke's eyes, "College is over one year away" she reminds her, "Do you really think we'll still be together by then?" she asks.

Clarke catches on the hint of vulnerability seeping into Lexa's voice. She grabs the back of Lexa's neck and pulls her closer until their foreheads are touching, "I have no doubt about it" she earnestly whispers, "Do you?"

Lexa shakes her head, "I just...I want to be with you forever, Clarke" she whispers, "And I'm scared you'll grow tired of me. I'm not exactly the most interesting pers-"

Soft lips capture her own in a slow and tender kiss that has a different feel than the ones they shared minutes ago which were heated and hurried. When Clarke pulls back, Lexa keeps her eyes close, wanting to enjoy this moment a bit longer.

"I'm completely in love with you, Lexa" Clarke whispers into the quiet of the night, the only sounds being the wind and the few birds that decided to make an appearance that night, "Do you know what this means?"

Lexa stays still for a few seconds before she shakes her head and opens her eyes to see that blue ones are already looking back at her with such intensity that Lexa has to blink back the tears she feels brimming at the corner of her eyes.

"It means I want to spend every hour, every minute, every second, by your side. I want to be with you through your pain and through your happiness. I want to share all of it with you" she continues, "I want to be the person you call yours. I want to come home to you everyday"

Lexa's tears have escaped and are now falling freely down her cheeks. One of Clarke's hands move from her neck and she brushes the tears away with her thumb, her hand lingering against Lexa's cheek once it is done.

"I love you more than I have ever loved anyone" Clarke whispers, "And I want to experience everything with you because, Lexa, you are the only one for me" she finishes, looking deeply into watery green eyes.

Lexa inhales shakily and she closes her eyes. She has never felt so loved and she doesn't know what to do with this onslaught of emotions so, naturally, she does the only thing she can do right now.

A sob rushes past her lips and she wraps her arms tightly around Clarke's waist, their naked bodies molding perfectly together. She feels fingers stroke her hair as she silently cries into Clarke's neck.

"It's okay, baby" Clarke whispers into her ear, pressing a kiss to her shoulder, then to her neck and her jaw, "Let go, I'm here"

"I love you" Lexa says through her tears, "And I'm sorry for crying" she whispers, feeling lame for letting emotions get the best of her.

Clarke caresses the small curls of hair at the back of her neck with one hand while her other hand moves up and down Lexa's back, "It's okay" she repeats soothingly.

"How did we go from sex to this?" Lexa asks through her tears and Clarke laughs loudly.

"We are weird" the blonde says with a small laugh before grabbing Lexa's face and kissing her with all she has.

She can taste Lexa's tears on her lips and she just kisses her harder, pouring all her love and promises of a future together into that one kiss.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

Lexa avoids Luna and Raven's smirks and knowing eyes during the whole duration of breakfast. She is embarrassed enough as it is about having been caught skinny dipping in the middle of the night, she doesn't need them to rub it in.

She feels a tap on her shoulders and welcomes the distraction. Anya is standing beside her, training uniform in hand, "Wanna train some?" she asks.

Lexa nods eagerly, "Yeah, just let me finish this and I'll join you in the backyard" she smiles and gestures at her unfinished breakfast.

Anya nods and steals a pancake on Raven's plate, taking a bite of it before walking away.

"Hey, asshole!" Raven calls, "Give it back!" she says but Anya merely flips her off before disappearing upstairs, "Rude" Raven crosses her arms in front of her chest.

Luna stabs into one of her pancakes with her fork and drops it in her girlfriend's plate, "Here, you can have one of mine" she smiles.

Raven grins and pecks her cheek, "Thanks, babe" she says before taking a big bite of it, "You're the best" she speaks as she munches on it.

"Don't talk while eating" Luna scolds her and Raven grins at her through a mouthful, "Gross" Luna says, scowling.

Clarke slides into the chair next to Lexa, rubbing her eyes, "Why weren't you in bed this morning?" she asks the brunette.

"Cause it was getting late" Lexa replies, motioning to the clock who indicates 11.20am, "I didn't want to wake you up because you looked very peaceful when you slept" 

"How come it's so late already? How did I sleep for so long?" the blonde asks. She thought it was only 9am or something.

"Cause your night activities wore you out" Luna quips and earns a high five from Raven as they both erupt in laughter.

Clarke groans and Lexa turns a deep shade of red, the blush spreading even to the tip of her ears, "You were supposed to be asleep" Clarke says.

"You too" Raven points out, "And yet, there you were, knuckles deep inside Le-"

"Raven!" Clarke hisses, "Shut up"

Raven laughs and resumes eating her breakfast, smiling as Lexa stands up from the table, flustered, and mumbles something about having to get ready for her training.

"You're an asshole" Clarke says as she pours some hot chocolate into her cup.

Raven shrugs, "Yeah but you like me anyway" she grins.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

Clarke sits back on a lounge chair by the pool and she watches Lexa who is currently sparring with Anya. It is amazing how far her girlfriend has come since her first training session.

She sees Aden approach from the corner of her eye and pats her legs, "Climb up" she smiles at him.

He happily does so and Clarke lets out a small muffled sound of pain when his hand applies pressure on her hipbone.

Aden quickly retracts his hand, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" he hurries to say, rubbing the blonde's hip with his small hands.

Clarke laughs, "It's okay. It didn't hurt too much" she smiles.

"You sure?" Aden asks, lifting her shirt to check for any injuries, "It's a bit red" he observes before kissing his palm and pressing it against her hip, "Magic kiss" he whispers.

Clarke's heart melts, "Thank you, little man" she ruffles his hair affectionately, "I feel better now"

Aden smiles at her before turning on her lap to watch Lexa. He points a finger in the brunette's direction just as she gets a hit on Anya, "Lessa's amazing! Look how strong she is!" he exclaims smiling widely.

"She is" Clarke agrees as her eyes stop on her girlfriend, watching her lovingly.

"Can I be as strong as Lessa?" Aden asks.

Clarke smiles, "If you train really hard like she does, then you will become as strong as she is" she tells him, "Maybe even stronger" 

Aden shakes his head, "No" he says.

"No?"

"No one is strong like Lessa" he says, "She's the strongest. Even stronger than Superman"

"Stronger than Superman?" Clarke asks, knowing that the superhero is Aden's absolute favorite.

Aden nods eagerly, "Yes. She's the bestest superhero in the whole world" he grins. He cheers loudly when Lexa manages to make Anya trip and then holds her down with her knee, "Go, Lessa!" he shouts.

Lexa turns her head and smiles brightly at the boy. Anya uses that second of inattention to flip them over, pinning Lexa to the ground and Aden lets out a loud gasp.

"Lessa!" he wiggles in Clarke's lap, trying to get off.

Clarke lifts him up and lowers him to the ground, telling him to be careful when he runs. The boy runs to Lexa's side and brushes his hands on her face.

"You okay?" he asks, "You hurt?" 

Lexa smiles and places a hand on his cheek, caressing it, "I'm good, buddy" she tells him, "Just a little bit tired"

Aden turns his head towards Anya and glares at her, "You're the bad guy" he accuses as he points a finger at her and the three girls let out a laugh, "But Lessa is stronger and she will win" he adds, "Because she's a superhero and she is even stronger than Superman" he adds.

A fluttering feeling erupts in the brunette's chest. Aden sees her as a superhero and that is enough to bring tears to her eyes. She wraps her arms around his middle and hugs him tightly against her chest.

"It's okay, Lessa" Aden caresses her hair, "It doesn't matter that you didn't win this time" he whispers, "You're still my favorite superhero" 

Lexa lets out a watery laugh, "I'm very honored to be your favorite superhero" she says, sitting up.

Aden clings to her like a koala as she gets up and he giggles when Lexa starts running around the lawn really fast.

Clarke looks back towards Anya and smirks, "Bad guy" she repeats Aden's words, "Bad guys always lose" 

Anya rolls her eyes, "Shut up, blondie. We all know you wouldn't last a second in a fight against me"

"Is that a challenge?" Clarke asks, "Because you're on" 

When Lexa turns her head back towards the spot where Clarke was standing mere seconds ago, she sees her on the ground, Anya hovering over her.

"What were you saying, blondie?" Anya smirks.

Clarke groans, "I hate you" she mumbles before getting up and wiping the dirt off her pants.

Lexa walks back to them with Aden in her arms, "What did you do, Clarke?" she asks, highly amused.

Clarke gasps, "Why do you just assume I did something?" Lexa raises an eyebrow and Clarke sighs, "Okay, it was me but she didn't have to throw me on the ground like that" 

"Actually, that's kind of the point of sparring" Lexa says with an apologetic smile.

Anya smirks and winks, then walks away. Clarke looks at Lexa in disbelief, "You're supposed to back me up" she says.

"Not when you're wrong" Lexa retorts. She steps closer to Clarke and kisses her cheek, "Maybe next time, don't challenge a martial arts teacher" she advises. 

Clarke grumbles but a smile breaks free when Lexa lowers Aden to the ground and wraps her arms around her middle from behind.

Aden wraps his small arms around her legs, "Can we go to the beach?" he asks, looking up at them

"Of course we can" Clarke ruffles his hair and takes his hand to lead him upstairs, "Let's get you in your swim shorts"

Clarke places a beach towel on the sand and lies down on it while Lexa goes with Aden into the sea. She simply watches them play for a few minutes before pulling out her sketchbook. She is glad she had the smart idea to bring it along.

She starts drawing Lexa and Aden. It is a bit difficult to do so because they're always on the move which is why she chooses one position and sticks to it, only raising her eyes to complete the drawing with the unchanging details like their hair, their eyes, and the swim suits they're wearing.

She feels a presence behind her and turns her head to see who it is. She smiles up at her father and pats the space next to her on the towel, "You can sit here" 

Jake shakes his head and shows her his own towel, "It's okay, I have one too" he says, "Besides, Hannah and I are going to go for a swim now" he motions to the woman standing beside him, "Tris will be here with the others in a couple minutes"

"Sure thing, dad" Clarke says with a smile, raising her gaze to draw her girlfriend's bikini, eyes lingering as she takes in Lexa's toned body.

"You're drooling a little" Jake says with a laugh and is on the receiving end of a slap on the arm.

He drops his stuff onto the sand and grabs Hannah's hand as they walk towards the water. 

Clarke hurries to grab her phone and snap a picture of the two of them, walking hand in hand with Lexa and Aden playing in the background. She smiles down at the picture, already planning to turn it into a painting to give to her father on his birthday in a couple months.

As her father said, the others come down to the beach a few minutes later and immediately run into the water. 

She sees Lexa wave at her, motioning for her to come. She looks down at her sketch, seeing that the base of it is finished. She drops it beside her and wipes the sand off her thighs before walking towards the sea.

Lexa beams at her when she sees her approach and Aden cheers loudly, "Clarke!" he extends his arms towards her.

Clarke lifts him in her arms and leans forward to kiss his cheek, "Having fun?" she asks and he nods eagerly.

Lexa swims towards them and Clarke watches her with pride. Had she not been the one teaching her, she would have never known Lexa didn't know how to swim up until yesterday.

"Hey, babe" Clarke pecked her lips.

"Jake wants to play something called chicken fight" the brunette says with a frown, "What the hell is chicken fight?"

Clarke laughs, "You know, it's this game where you climb on someone's shoulders and the other team does the same and the first one who falls loses" she explains.

Lexa stares at her blankly.

"You don't know the game" Clarke deduces, "It's okay, it's pretty simple to understand" she shrugs.

"Alright, who wants to try and defeat us?" Jake loudly says and they all look towards him to see that Hannah has climbed onto his shoulders.

Raven pats Luna's shoulders and the girl lowers herself so that her girlfriend can climb on her shoulders, "Get ready, old man" Raven says.

"I'll show you who's the old man" Jake replies as he starts approaching her, "Clarke, you'll be the referee. No grabbing allowed, only pushing"

The blonde laughs and nods, "Alright, ready? Go!" she yells.

Lexa watches, amused, as Raven tries to push Hannah off Jake's shoulders and Jake sticks his tongue at her after yet another failed attempt.

It lasts a couple minutes but eventually, Raven falls onto the water and emerges with a shocked expression on her features, "You cheated!" She accuses.

Jake shakes his head, "I did no such thing" he says, crossing his arms in front of his chest, "Clarke?"

"Hm?" the blonde hums, "He didn't cheat. You're just a sore loser" she told Raven who gasps.

"In your face!" Jake points a finger at Raven and laughs before he gently helps Hannah get off his shoulders.

Clarke moves closer to Lexa and whispers in her ear, "Wanna show him how it's done?" she asks before dropping a kiss on the brunette's neck.

Lexa nods eagerly and bends her knees so that Clarke can climb on her shoulders.

"What if I wanted to carry you?" Clarke says. Lexa raises one eyebrow at her, "Yeah, you're right. It's probably better like that" the blonde says, laughing as she climbs on Lexa's shoulders.

"Jake!" Lexa calls, "We are going to crush you" she confidently declares.

Jake scoffs, "You can always try" he says and Hannah climbs on his shoulders once more.

A few minutes later, Lexa has a smug smile on her face and Jake sulking a few feet away, "They took us by surprise. It isn't fair", he mutters.

Aden jumps up and down, asking to climb on someone's shoulders. Tris walks towards him and brings to the slightly deeper parts where everyone is, but where she still has good footing, before she lifts him onto her shoulders.

The boy squeals in joy and Lexa runs back towards the beach to grab her phone. She comes back and calls Tris' name to get her to turn around. She snaps a picture of the two of them and shows it to them afterwards.

Aden giggles and points at the screen, "It's me" he says.

Lexa laughs, "Yes, it is" she ruffles his wet hair.

They take a few pictures of the whole group. Anya volunteers to take them all but then Lexa objects, saying that Anya is just as much part of the family as the others. Raven volunteers then to take some of the pictures and Anya can't deny that she had tears in her eyes upon hearing Lexa's words because they have the proof on the pictures taken.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

Clarke is sitting on the couch and Lexa has her head on her lap while the blonde plays with her hair and slides her fingers along her jaw. Lexa hums contentedly, eyes closed. She grabs one of Clarke's hands and brings it down, against her heart to play with the blonde's fingers, "I love you" she smiles up at Clarke.

"I love you too" Clarke murmurs back.

Lexa brings Clarke's hand to her lips and kisses each knuckle once before she takes hold of Clarke's other hand and does the same.

"Save it with the gay shit" Anya says when she enters the living room and drops on the couch.

Lexa rolls her eyes, "You know there's another living room downstairs if you don't want to witness cute couples doing cute shit together"

Anya shrugs, "Don't want to go downstairs"

"Then don't complain" Lexa sasses before she takes Clarke's hand back in hers and brushes her thumb over her knuckles.

Anya rolls her eyes and smiles slightly, almost unnoticeably, "When's the wedding planned?" she jokes.

Clarke smiles down at Lexa, "In a few years" she answers in all honesty. Lexa smiles back at her and props herself up on her elbow to peck Clarke's lips.

"Wow" Anya says, "You guys are really serious about this" she remarks.

"Dead serious" Lexa says as she rests her head back in Clarke's lap and closes her eyes, "Is there something planned tonight?" she asks curiously.

Clarke hums positively, "My dad told me there is a carnival in a city a few miles away. He thought we could all go together"

Lexa smiles brightly, "Really?" she asks, "That's so cool!" she exclaims, "It's gonna be so much fun"

Clarke smiles lovingly down at her girlfriend, "I'm glad you like the idea" she says, "Now get up because we have to get ready" she pats Lexa's shoulder.

Lexa groans and wraps her arms around Clarke's waist, "Five more minutes" she mumbles against the blonde's stomach.

Clarke laughs and caresses her cheek, "Okay but only five, alright?"

Lexa hums and presses a kiss to Clarke's clothed stomach, "Thank you" she whispers before closing her eyes.

"What kind of gay shit" Anya says as she leaves the room.

 

 

\-------------------

 

 

Lexa smiles brightly as she hustles through the crowd of people with the others, her fingers intertwined with Clarke's.

"This is cool" she says as she looks around at the many different games they can play.

Clarke's lips curl upwards, "I'm happy that you like it" she says.

Lexa turns her head and drops a kiss on soft, pink lips. She tugs at Clarke's hand, "Come on, we gotta try everything"

Clarke chuckles at her enthusiasm. She looks behind at her father and gestures to him that she's going to go her own way with Lexa. He responds with a thumbs up. They previously agreed to meet up near the entrance around eight so they can all eat together.

Aden looks up at Hannah, "Mommy, can I go with Lessa and Clarke?" he asks.

Hannah nods, "Of course, sweetie" she caresses his hair and he smiles brightly before letting go of his mother's hand and running towards the two girls.

Lexa lets out a sound of surprise when a small body collides with her back and she turns around to see Aden, clinging to her tightly, "Well, hello" she smiles.

Aden extends his arms and Lexa lifts him in her arms and carries him as they walk around the carnival.

Lexa spots a game and she stops in her tracks, "Can we go and play that one?" she asks Clarke.

The blonde turns her head and smiles, "Let's go" she says, pulling her wallet out of her pocket.

The game is pretty easy. There is a basket and there are three basket balls. The goal is simple, throw the basket balls into the basket. One basket makes you win a small prize, two baskets get you a bigger prize and three baskets gets you one of the biggest ones. Logical.

Aden claps his hands when he spots a stuffed dinosaur on the top shelf, in the biggest prizes, "Dinosaur!" he shouts.

Lexa smiles, "This is the one you want?" she asks and Aden nods eagerly. **_Alright,_ ** Lexa thinks to herself, **_Can't mess this up._** She reaches into her pocket for a one dollar bill right as Clarke hands one to the lady behind the counter, "Clarke" Lexa says, "you don't have to pay...My mom gave me some money when I stayed with her"

"Then you'll pay for the next game" Clarke shrugs, "Go win this, champion" she presses a kiss to her cheek.

A smile breaks free and Lexa lowers Aden onto the ground. She takes a basket ball in her hands. She breathes deeply and focuses on her task, "Okay....this can't be that hard" she says to herself.

She makes the first basket and Aden jumps up and down in excitement, "Go, Lessa!" he encourages her.

She smiles before refocusing her attention on the task at hand. She makes the second basket and then the third, a wave of relief washing over her when she sees it go into the loop. She turns back towards Aden, "Which dinosaur do you want?"

"The red one!" he points his index in the direction of it and Lexa thanks the employee when she hands it to her.

"Here you go" she gives it to Aden.

The boy smiles brightly and momentarily gives the toy to Clarke so he can wrap his arms around Lexa's legs, "You're the strongest person in the whole world" he says.

Lexa smiles and ruffles his hair, "Thank you, buddy" she reaches into her pocket for another bill and hands it to the lady.

Clarke frowns, "What are you doing?"

Lexa grins and points at a stuffed animal on the second shelf, in the two basket prizes, "Don't think I haven't see you eyeing this tiger since we got here" she says.

Clarke's lips turn into a wide smile and it is no surprise when Lexa makes the two baskets necessary to win the stuffed tiger. She proudly turns back towards Clarke, the tiger in her hands, and she extends her arms towards her, "It's for you" she beams.

Clarke takes the toy before grabbing the back of Lexa's neck to kiss her, "You're perfect" she whispers against the brunette's lips before kissing her again.

"Ew, stop kissing" Aden says, tugging at their pants, "We have to play more games"

They laugh and break apart. They both take one of the boy's hands as they resume walking around the carnival, Lexa holding the boy's dinosaur in her free hand while Clarke is tightly squeezing against her chest her newly acquired stuffed tiger.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

"You got a dinosaur!?" Jake asks Aden when the boy and the girls meet back with them at the entrance, "That is so cool!" he exclaims.

Aden giggles and holds the dinosaur in front of his face, "Rowr!" he imitates as best he can the sound dinosaurs supposedly make.

They find a small burger place to eat at and Clarke laughs when she sees the sauce smeared on Lexa's chin.

"I am convinced you simply do not know how to eat without making a mess" she laughs.

"That's not true" Lexa denies, arms crossed.

Clarke shakes her head and grabs a napkin, "Then how come everytime we eat somewhere, we end up having to ask for napkins to wipe your chin or your cheek...or your forehead" Clarke says, "Remember that time? How did you even manage to get ketchup on your forehead?"

Lexa smiles sheepishly.

Clarke bends over the table, grabs her chin with her index and thumb and wipes at it with a napkin, "There you go" she smiles and drops a kiss on the tip of Lexa's nose.

"Thank you" Lexa blushes when she catches Jake staring at them with a small smile. The man winks at her before refocusing his attention on his conversation with Anya and Hannah.

Tris and Aden start throwing fries at each other and Hannah sighs, "Kids, please" she says, "Stop playing with your food"

Right when she finishes speaking, a couple fries fly towards her and land on her face. She looks towards Tris and Aden but they both shake their heads and point towards Raven who is hiding under the table, laughing loudly.

 _"Raven Reyes"_ Hannah says sternly, "Get up from under that table" she orders.

Raven slowly climbs back onto her seat and she gasps when she is hit by a piece of salad that Hannah threw at her. She grabs it from her face and shrugs before eating it.

"Could you guys be more disciplined?" Clarke asks, "We're gonna get kicked out of the restau-"

She stops speaking when Lexa smears ketchup on her cheek then proceeds to smile innocently at her, "Oops" the brunette says.

Clarke narrows her eyes at her then brings her hands to the brunette's stomach to tickle her, drawing loud laughter that gathers the attention of other patrons.

Lexa moves away from Clarke's attack, "Not fair" she raises a finger, "You know this is my weakness"

Clarke shrugs, "Should have thought about it before attacking me with ketchup sauce" she says, an eyebrow raised.

"It was hilarious, though" Jake says and Clarke glares at him, "Geez, okay" he raises his arms in the air.

Lexa presses a kiss to her cheek, "I'm sorry" she whispers.

"You don't look very sorry to me" Clarke counters and Lexa just bats her eyelashes at her, "Ugh, stop looking at me like that" Clarke says, looking away.

Lexa smiles then puckers her lips up and Clarke rolls her eyes but kisses her briefly nonetheless.

"Keep that gay shit inside" Anya says, groaning "We're in public" she adds, a smirk tugging at her lips.

"Homophobic bitch" Clarke jokes and Anya gasps. She gets up from her seat and Clarke uses Lexa's body as a shield, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she yells out. Anya raises an eyebrow, then smacks her behind the head, drawing a small yelp, "I don't like your cousin, Luna" Clarke says, holding the back of her head.

Luna shrugs, "Oh well, who does?" she smirks but lets out a small sound of pain when Anya smacks her on the head as well.

Jake laughs, "I like you" he tells Anya, raising his hand for a high five.

The girl looks at his hand for a few seconds before she rolls her eyes and high fives him, "Alright, old man"

"Why does everyone keep saying I'm old?!" Jake exclaims, arms crossed.

"Because you are" Clarke says.

Jake narrows his eyes at her, "Be careful, young lady. I can still write you off my will" he threatens.

"You wouldn't" Clarke rolls her eyes.

"You're right, I wouldn't, but only because I want Lexa to have a nice and stable life" he says.

Clarke's mouth drops, "What about me!?"

Jake stares at her blankly, "Meh" he says, shrugging and Clarke starts pouting.

Lexa laughs and takes her hand in hers but Clarke pulls away, "You are the enemy now and I will not side with the enemy" she decidedly says.

All it takes is a kiss from Lexa to make her change her mind. She glares at Raven when she makes a whipping sound while the whole table erupts in laughter.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

They spent most of the evening playing various games and stopping at food trucks because Aden wanted to have a taste of pretty much everything. They are now all sitting in different booths of the Ferris wheel. Anya went with Luna and Raven while Jake, Hannah, Aden and Tris went in another booth, leaving Clarke and Lexa alone, just like the girls requested.

Clarke takes a seat in front of Lexa but the brunette shakes her head and pats the space next to her. The blonde smiles and moves to sit beside her girlfriend.

The ride starts and Clarke curls up in Lexa's side. The brunette wraps one arm around her and brings the other to brush a strand of hair away from the blonde's face.

She is looking through the window when she hears a sniffle. Concerned, she shifts her gaze to her girlfriend, "Clarke? Is something wrong?"

Clarke shakes her head and tightens her grip on Lexa's waist, "Just keep holding me" she whispers.

Lexa nods and wants to ask further questions but refrains from doing so. She doesn't have to anyway because Clarke is already speaking.

"I'm just getting emotional because it reminds me of the first time we went on a Ferris Wheel together"

Lexa smiles, "It was at Disneyland" she recalls, "Those two days were magical" she says.

Clarke nods against her chest, "It's also when you first told me you loved me" she looks up into soft green eyes, "I could never forget this moment"

Lexa chuckles, "You wouldn't let me say it" she reminisces with a smile, "I had to try multiple times and you just kept talking about how beautiful the view was and how scared of heights you were" she laughed at the memory.

Clarke shrugs and smiles, "I didn't want you to say something you weren't ready to say" she reveals, "I know how hard it is for you to trust people after what happened to you"

Lexa tilted Clarke's chin up with a finger and kissed her slowly, lovingly, "I need you to know that I had wanted to say it since way before that moment" she whispers, "I was scared but not because I didn't trust you. I do trust you, Clarke" she says, "I trust you with my life"

Clarke tears up and smiles widely, "I am so in love with you, Lexa Woods"

Lexa kisses her again, "And I am so in love with you, Clarke Griffin" she murmurs.

Clarke doesn't waste a second and crashes their lips together in a passionate but controlled kiss that has them both breathless by the time they pull away.

They kiss again and again, until the ride stops and they are forced to get off. Their hands remain linked the whole way back to the house, even during the car ride.

They fall asleep that night, tangled together, whispering sweet nothings into each other's ear in between loving kisses.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be the last one. Thank you to those who are still reading, you guys are amazing :)


	25. You could be my home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait on this final chapter. I really wanted it to be good :)

 

 

Jake calls them in the living room, telling the girls he needs to talk to them for a bit about something that is quite important. Lexa nervously approaches the man, playing diverse scenarios in her mind as to what he can possibly have to say to them. She takes a seat in front of him, in one of the couches, and Clarke sits next to her, the blonde’s hand moving to grab onto her own. Jake smiles at them and gestures for Hannah and Tris to join them. This is also about them. He laughs at Lexa's obvious nervousness, “It's nothing bad, I promise” he reassures her.

Aden just woke up from his nap and he walks into the room. He frowns when he sees almost all the occupants of the house sitting together in the living room. He carefully walks towards Lexa, sucking his thumb in his mouth while he rubs his eyes with his other hand. He pulls his thumb out of his mouth to extend his arms towards Lexa.

The brunette leans forward and lifts him onto her lap, securely wrapping her arms around his waist, keeping him safely pressed against herself.

"Well, since pretty much everyone is here" Jake claps his hands, "We can tell you" he says with a wide grin.

"Tell us what?" Tris asks, raising a questioning eyebrow. It seems that the girl is just as much in the dark about the situation as Lexa and Clarke are. The only one who seems to have an idea what's happening is Hannah who has an immense smile drawn on her face.

"From the beginning of the school year on, Hannah and myself were thinking that we wanted to move in together into the house I'm currently staying at with my two girls" he winks at Lexa and Clarke.

"They're going to move in with us!?" Lexa asks, unable to repress the smile on her lips.

"Only if you all agree with it" Hannah clarifies, "We do not want to force this move on you"

"I'm gonna live with Lessa and Clarke?" Aden asks, eyes bright. He lets out a small squeal of joy and jumps on Lexa’s lap before hugging the girl tightly.

Jake smiles and turns his attention back to the two other teenagers in the room, “Basically, we wanted to make sure this was something you were okay with”

“Of course we are” Clarke says with a bright smile, “This is great news!”

Hannah and Jake smile at their enthusiasm, “Tris?” Hannah turns towards her daughter, asking for her approval as well.

The teenage girl smiles, “I’d love to move in with them” she tells her mother.

Clarke hugs her father tightly, whispering thank you’s in his ear, “You really love her, huh?” she quietly asks him.

Jake pulls away and smiles, “I really do” he confirms, nodding, “I hope you're not too mad at me for moving on from your mother so quickly”

Clarke shakes her head, “Mom and you haven’t been on the same page for a long time. Even before she started business with Nia” she reminds her dad, “You shouldn't feel bad for wanting to have a good life with a woman you love”

Jake hugs her, “Thank you, sweetie” he whispers to her, “And Hannah isn't trying to replace your mom. She understands that it isn't her role”

Clarke nods, “Don't worry about it so much. I like Hannah because she makes you happy”

Her head snaps to the side when she hears the melodious sound of her girlfriend’s laughter. She smiles widely at the sight of Aden peppering Lexa’s face with kisses.

“We’re gonna live together” the boy exclaims, clapping his hands together.

Lexa smiles at him before shifting her gaze to Jake, mouthing _thank you_ to him, which he acknowledges with a nod and a smile.

 

 

\--------------

 

 

“I can’t believe we're going to be like a real family now” Lexa says when they are back in their room. She is lying on the bed with Aden, stroking the boy’s hair while he sleeps soundly, tired after spending most of the day running around the beach, telling every by-stander that he would soon have two more sisters and a new dad.

Clarke closes her book and gets up from the desk to join her girlfriend on the bed. She takes the brunette’s free hand in her own and smiles, “It’s going to be amazing” she whispers.

Lexa brushes her thumb over the back of the blonde’s hand, “Are we doing something tonight?”

Clarke shakes her head, “Not that I know of. Why? You want to do something?” she traces gently the outline of Lexa's face.

The brunette nods timidly, “We’re going back in three days and I want to make the most of our time here” she explains.

Clarke abruptly gets up from the bed and extends her hand, “Let’s go, then” she grins, “I'm taking you on a date, baby”

“Really?” Lexa accepts the offered hand, rising to her feet while being careful not to wake the sleeping boy by her side. “Yeah, come on” she tugs at Lexa's hand but the girl asks her to wait.

Lexa gently moves Aden’s body higher on the bed before tucking him in. She drops a kiss on his forehead before leaving the room.

“You're truly amazing with him” Clarke remarks, “It’s cute how much he loves you”

"He loves you too” Lexa says.

Clarke shrugs, “Not as much” she says quietly, “But it's okay”

Lexa grabs her hand and presses a few kisses to the palm of it, “Whenever you’re not here, you’re all he talks about” she says.

“I don’t believe that”

“It’s true” Lexa says, “You make him laugh a lot. He keeps going on and on about the amazing castles you always build with him when you two play with his blocks”

“He does?” Clarke is surprised by this.

Lexa nods, “All the time. I think you’ve gotten yourself a fan” she laughs a bit, “He’s a smart kid, that’s for sure” she wraps her arms around Clarke’s waist, “I can’t think of a better person to look up to than you”

Clarke’s hands cup Lexa's cheeks and she presses a delicate kiss on her lips, lingering for a few seconds before pulling away. Lexa smiles and places another quick kiss on the blonde’s lips before taking her hand to lead her downstairs.

They warn Jake and Hannah that they'll be out for most of the evening and Jake jokingly tells them to come back before ten. Clarke rolls her eyes and tells him they won’t be gone for too long, midnight tops. He nods and wishes them a good evening.

“Take your jacket, baby. It’s cold outside” Clarke tells Lexa before they left the house.

Lexa nods and walks away to retrieve both of their jackets, “Do you want your black jacket or the blue one?” she asks.

“You can choose” Clarke smiles at her.

Raven comes barreling downstairs, a grin plastered on her face, “We’re going out?” she asks.

_“We_ are going out, as in _Lexa and I_ are going out” Clarke clarifies.

Raven whines, “Not fun, Griffin” she complains, “Let us come with, please”

Clarke shakes her head, “No way. We're going on a date and we don't want you guys to bother us during it”

“Even better” Raven says, “We can turn it into a double date” she grins.

Clarke sighs, “‘No, this-”

“Lexa!” Raven yells when the brunette comes back with their jackets, “Clarke here suggests a double date”

Clarke gasps and smacks her shoulder, “I never said that, you jerk” she says, “You're the one trying to ruin our date”

“Easy, Griffin” Raven laughs, “No one wants to ruin anything. We just want to have an enjoyable time with our friends”

Lexa shrugs, “It could be fun”

Clarke cocks her head, “Don’t you dare side with the enemy” she raises a finger and points it warningly at her girlfriend.

Lexa laughs and grabs Clarke's finger, pushing it down, “I think you're slightly overreacting here” she says, “We're just going to spend a nice evening with our friends whom we love despite how truly annoying they can be”

“Exactly” Raven says before stopping to think, “Hey! We’re not annoying!” she exclaims.

Lexa laughs, “Keep telling yourself that”

“I liked it better when you were too shy to be a smartass like that” Raven mutters, “I’m gonna call Luna down and then we can go” she winks at Clarke.

The blonde turns her attention to Lexa and raises a single eyebrow.

“What?”

“You just invited Raven and Luna to join us” she says and Lexa frowns, not understanding what was wrong with that, “All I’m saying is, don't act surprised when you end up either on fire or covered in food”

Lexa laughs, “I don't think it can go to such extremes in a public setting”

Clarke smiles, “You'd be surprised. Raven is pretty unpredictable”

Lexa wraps her arms around Clarke's waist, “We'll deal with it then. I know you've missed hanging out with them again”

Clarke hums, “I kinda have” she admits, burying her face in Lexa’s neck.

“Ugh, break it up you two” Luna says when she comes down the stairs, “I don't want to vomit before even eating”

Clarke rolls her eyes and leads them all to Jake’s car after grabbing the keys from the pocket of his jacket.

“Where are we going? Where are we going? Where are we going?” Raven annoyingly repeats from the backseat.

Clarke sighs, “You'll see when we get there” she says, “And buckle your seatbelt” she sternly tells her.

“Yes, mom” Raven smirks, doing as told.

Lexa moves her hand to rest on the one Clarke put on the handbrake and she gets a warm smile in response.

The car pulls to a stop next to a small local restaurant and they all get out, Clarke's and Lexa's hands meeting as they start walking towards the entrance.

“Welcome” a waiter greets them, “A table for four?” he asks, quickly counting the number of people in their group.

“Actually, no” Raven says with a smirk, “we’d like a table for twelve”

Clarke face palms and Luna smirks, used to her girlfriend’s antics. As for the waiter, he just looks confused.

“Are there other friends of yours that will be arriving later?” he asks.

“No” Raven responds with a grin, “Just us”

Lexa tries to stifle a laugh at the waiter’s confused look and Clarke takes pity on him, “She’s lying and she’s an asshole” she glares at Raven, “A table for four is perfect” she smiles at the waiter.

The waiter blinks twice before nodding, “Of course, follow me” he says, not before subtly glaring at Raven.

They all sit at a table in the back as per Clarke’s request because she doesn't trust Raven to behave. Raven rolls her eyes when she hears that but agrees nonetheless to sit in the back. Lexa and Clarke are sitting next to each other while facing the other couple.

They place their orders and as they wait, Clarke takes Lexa's hand in hers and pulls out a pen from her bag. She starts drawing something on the palm of Lexa's hand, tickling the girl’s skin, “What are you drawing?” Lexa asks.

Clarke smiles up at her, “You'll see” she secretly says.

Raven and Luna are too busy arguing over which pizza tastes the best to even notice what the girls are doing.

“How can you possibly think Hawaiian pizza is the best one?” Raven exclaims, “I cannot believe I am dating you”

“Yeah? And what’s the best pizza, then?” Luna crosses her arms in front of her chest, “huh?”

“Pepperoni, duh” Raven says, lightly hitting her girlfriend’s forehead with her hand, “You, uncultured swine”

Luna scoffs and turns her back to her girlfriend, “Asshole” she mutters with a tiny smile.

Raven laughs and leans forward to press a kiss on her cheek, “I love you too, babe” she whispers, “even if you have shitty taste in pizza”

Luna rolls her eyes and her gaze falls onto the drawing Clarke is making on Lexa’s hand, “That’s pretty, Griffin” she says, “Does it have a meaning?”

Clarke looks up and smiles, “Yeah, it does” she whispers, “My dad used to take me to a place like that for the holidays when I was little. We would spend hours just talking with this view in front of us” she reminisces.

 

[the drawing](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/22/d0/5e/22d05e17ec6fa22b3c248918245d25b1--tattoo-mountain-pen-drawing.jpg)

 

“I didn’t know about that” Lexa says, a small smile on her lips.

“I guess there are some things you have yet to find out about me” Clarke pecks her lips before resuming her drawing.

Lexa smiles, “We have our whole lives for that” she tells the blonde whose hand stops in its movement.

Clarke looks up at her, an unreadable expression on her face, “You really mean that?”

Lexa looks down for a second before her eyes connect with blue again and she nods twice in confirmation. Clarke’s lips split into a wide grin and she abandons her drawing in favor of kissing her girlfriend soundly.

“Please, don’t mind us” Raven says.

Clarke raises her middle finger without breaking the kiss, drawing a laugh from Raven. Luna shrugs and cups Raven’s cheeks, bringing her in for a kiss as well. They don’t see the waiter looking at the four of them dubiously from afar.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

Aden stumbles into Jake and Hannah’s room, pouting slightly, “I can’t find Clarke and Lessa” he dejectedly says.

Jake scoots back until his back hits the headboard of the bed and he then lifts Aden onto his knees, “They went out for the night” he tells him.

“Without me?” Aden’s bottom lip starts quivering as he speaks.

Hannah takes him in her arms, “No, don’t cry, baby” she holds him close, “They will be back soon”

Aden keeps crying, “But I want to see them now” he whines, tears rolling down his cheeks.

Hannah looks at Jake and the man gives a shrug, not really knowing what to do about it. As Aden keeps crying, Hannah leans towards Jake to whisper in his ear, “What if we bring him to them?”

Jake hesitates, “We could but I don't know where they went” he looks at Hannah apologetically. He shoots Lexa quick text.

**Jake - 7.45pm :** _Aden wants to be with you. Can he join you?_

**Lexa - 7.45pm :** _of course he can. We're at a local restaurant a few streets down. it’s called The Grounders._

**Jake - 7.46pm :** _thank you, Lexa. We’ll be there in five_

“Aden?” Jake places a hand on the crying boy’s shoulder, “Do you want me to take you to see them?”

Aden sniffles and nods ever so perceptively.

Jake pecks Hannah’s lips, “I’ll drive him. You can rest” he tells her, having noticed how tired she looked. She smiles gratefully and presses a kiss to Aden’s forehead before leaving the boy in Jake’s care.

 

 

<<<>>>

 

 

“Who was it?” Clarke asks, leaning her head against Lexa’s shoulder.

“It was your dad” she reveals, “He wanted to know if Aden could come. He was asking after us”

Clarke's lips split into a wide smile, “That’s so cute” she says, “Is he coming here?”

Lexa nods and smiles, “They’ll be here in five minutes”

As predicted, Jake arrives five minutes later, Aden in his arms. The boy’s smile is still absent from his face, that is until he catches sight of the girls sitting at a table in the back. He asks Jake to put him on the ground and runs towards them, quickly climbing into Clarke’s lap, “Hello” he whispers before dropping his head on the blonde's chest.

Clarke chuckles, “Hey, buddy” she starts caressing his hair, “You missed us?” she asks with a small smile.

Aden nods against her chest and closes his fists tightly around her shirt.

Jake smiles, “I won’t bother you any longer. I leave him with you” he tells the girls, “Take good care of him” he winks before walking out of the restaurant.

“Bye, dad” Clarke says.

Aden unclenches one of his fists and moves to grab Lexa's hand and hold it close to him. The brunette’s heart melts and she lets the boy hold onto her hand while she resumes eating with her free hand.

“Aw, Aden and Lexa have the same favorite place to put their heads on” Raven says as she watches Aden snuggle into Clarke's chest.

Lexa's and Clarke's cheeks both tint in pink and they look at each other briefly before looking down at their plates, causing Raven to laugh.

Aden’s stomach grumbles and he whines, telling them that he’s hungry. Lexa calls the waiter over, “What do you want to eat, Aden?”

He hums pensively before his face lights up, “Lasagna!” he jumps on Clarke’s lap, “please” he adds as an afterthought.

Lexa checks the menu and smiles when she sees that they serve those here. She places the order and lets out a small noise of surprise when Aden pokes her nose with his finger.

The boy giggles and does it once more before settling back comfortably against Clarke's chest. The blonde wraps one arm around his body and she extends her other hand to brush against Lexa's. The brunette smiles and intertwines their fingers as she picks her fork back up.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

Aden complains that the food is taking too long to arrive and Lexa gives in. She cuts in half pieces of her steak, making sure it isn’t too big for the boy, and she feeds it to him.

“Thank you, Lessa” Aden grins. He then leans forward to sneakily steal some of her fries.

Lexa gasps, “Did you just steal one of my fries?” she accuses with a grin.

Aden grins and shakes his head as he munches on the food, “No” he lies.

Lexa laughs and moves her plate of fries closer to him so he can steal some more. Aden grins and helps himself with a huge smile.

Finally, Aden’s lasagna arrives and he claps his hands excitedly when the waiter drops the plate in front of him. Lexa cuts it for him and hands him a fork afterwards so he can eat, “Blow on it before you eat. It’s a bit hot” she warns him.

“I usually don’t like kids but this one could make me change my mind” Luna says, watching fondly as the boy happily devours his meal.

 

 

\------------------

 

 

Lexa carefully lifts a sleeping Aden in her arms while Clarke goes to pay for their dinner. She holds the boy against her chest and goes to wait outside.

Raven pats her butt when she passes by and Lexa lets out a small yelp of surprise before she lowers her voice to a whisper, “Raven!” she hisses.

The girl simply smirks at her and opens the car door with the keys Clarke gave to her. She slips inside and Luna climbs in after her.

Lexa moves to the other side of the car and she gently lowers Aden onto the car seat in the middle with the help of Luna, “Please, be quiet” the brunette tells Raven, “I don’t want him to wake up”

Raven nods and motions that she will keep her mouth shut right when Clarke appears from the restaurant. The blonde grabs the back of Lexa's neck and pulls her in for a quick kiss before she sits behind the wheel and starts the car once Lexa's comfortably settled in.

Once they’re home, Lexa lifts Aden once more and moves him to the bedroom he shares with Jake and Hannah. She notes that the two adults are sprawled out on the bed, leaving no space for the boy. She therefore decides to keep him so that he can sleep with Clarke and herself. The bed is big enough for the three of them anyway.

“Aden will be sleeping with us” she whispers to Clarke when she enters their bedroom and tucks Aden under the blankets.

The blonde smiles at Lexa’s care for the boy and, as soon as he is tucked in, she sneaks behind Lexa and wraps her arms around the brunette’s middle. She then presses a delicate kiss on the side of her neck.

“So...tonight was a bit different than what I thought it would be” Clarke whispers with a breathy chuckle.

Lexa hums, “You’re not too mad I let Raven and Luna tag along?” she quietly asks, her hands resting on Clarke’s, over her stomach.

Clarke moves the brunette's hair and starts pressing kisses up and down her neck, “I’m not mad at all. It was actually fun” she smiles against Lexa's neck and bites down on the skin.

Lexa turns around and cups her cheeks before joining their lips with a surprising delicacy. Clarke relaxes into it. One of her hands travels up to tangle in brown curls while the other finds its home on the small of the brunette's back. Lexa hums against her girlfriend's lips and she lightly sinks her teeth into the lower one, tugging at it before releasing it, her tongue gliding over the bitten area mere milliseconds later.

Clarke’s hands slide up her arms and she places one last kiss on full lips before putting minimal space between them, “Let’s go to sleep” she whispers.

Lexa nods and leans her forehead on the blonde's, “Just a bit longer” she quietly requests.

Clarke nods and pecks her lips ~~twice~~. Scratch that, make that four times. She leaves a gentle kiss on Lexa's forehead before grabbing her hand to lead them both into the bathroom.

Clarke starts taking off her clothes and Lexa watches her, mouth slightly open. Once the blonde is entirely naked, she turns around and arches a perfectly shaped eyebrow, “You coming?”

Lexa recovers from her momentary stunned state and nods quickly, hurrying to get rid of her own clothes, nearly tripping over her pants as she does so.

Clarke laughs and extends one of her hands so that Lexa can take it in hers. The blonde turns on the water and places a hand under the stream to test out the temperature. Once satisfied, she pulls on Lexa's hand and leads her under the stream of water with her, her arms wrapping around the brunette's shoulders immediately.

“We should shower together more often” she murmurs against Lexa’s lips.

“Y-yeah” Lexa stutters out, too distracted by the feeling of their bare breasts pressing together.

Clarke chuckles and brushes her lips against Lexa's before pulling away to grab a bottle of shampoo. She smiles at the small whine that escapes Lexa’s lips. The brunette blushes when she realizes she's the one who let out that sound.

She wills herself to keep her eyes on the back of Clarke’s head but it seems they have a mind of their own, flicking down to take a look at the blonde's backside. Clarke turns around and Lexa’s eyes jump upwards quickly but not quickly enough if the smirk on the blonde's face is anything to go by.

Clarke turns off the water and steps closer before she drops the shampoo next to them and grabs Lexa’s hands instead, leading them slowly behind her. Lexa’s eyes widen when her hands land on Clarke's ass cheeks and she gives them a tentative squeeze, “Is this okay?” she quietly asks.

Clarke nods and smashes their lips together while her hands move up to get a feel of Lexa's muscular arms. After a few heated seconds, she pulls away and turns the shower back on, instructing Lexa to step under the stream of water.

“Tease” Lexa mutters with a smile which widens when her ears are blessed with the sound of Clarke's laughter.

Clarke once more turns off the water, “Turn around, baby” she says. She squeezes shampoo out of the bottle and onto her hands before bringing them to Lexa’s hair, applying the shampoo into the mess of curls she loves so much. Once that is done, she turns the water back on and Lexa steps under the shower head once more to wash it off.

“I love you” she murmurs when she in turn washes Clarke’s hair.

“I love you too” Clarke smiles and cranes her neck to place a quick kiss on Lexa's lips.

They take turns washing each other's body, then finally get out to dry themselves and put on some sleepwear. They then slip into bed, one girl on each side of Aden who is still sleeping soundly in the middle of the bed. The bed dips under their weight and they lift the covers to slip under them.

As soon as they are settled, Aden turns on the bed and snuggles into Clarke's chest, much to her amusement. Lexa pouts and Clarke laughs, “Jealous?” she teases, poking Lexa's stomach with her index.

“Not at all” Lexa lies, turning around so that her back is presented to the blonde.

“Lexa, turn around” Clarke chuckles. Lexa grins,

"No” she refuses, “You seem very happy with Aden, I wouldn’t want to disturb you guys”

Clarke stifles a loud laugh, “Baby, turn around” she softly says.

Lexa does as told, the bed moving slightly under her movements, “What?”

“I love you” Clarke simply says. Lexa’s smile widens and she puckers her lips up. Clarke rolls her eyes and leans closer, while avoiding crushing Aden between them, and she presses a quick kiss on awaiting lips.

Lexa grins, “Yesss” she whispers.

Clarke fondly shakes her head at her girlfriend, “Sleep, baby” she tells the girl.

Lexa smiles, “Yes ma'am” she salutes. Her features grow a bit more serious and her eyes connect with blue, “You are so beautiful” she whispers, “I can’t believe you chose me”

Clarke moves closer, Aden still clinging to her. She moves one hand to brush away a strand of hair from Lexa's face, “You are amazing” she murmurs, “You don't even know how much I admire you”

Lexa scoots closer and she brings their lips together in a slow kiss that conveys everything she cannot put into words.

 

 

\----------------

 

 

“You’re leaving?” Lexa asks, lips curled down, “Why?”

Anya looks at her apologetically as she grips her suitcase, “They need me back at the gym. Seems like they can’t live without me” she smiles.

“It sucks” Lexa complains, “Are you sure you can’t stay?”

Anya nods, “Trust me, if I could, I would have stayed. I mean, look at that house” she points at the villa.

Lexa nods and steps forward to hug her friend and mentor, “Thank you for coming on this trip”

Anya hugs her back, “Of course, commander” she smiles, “I'll see you at the gym on Tuesday, right?”

Lexa nods eagerly, “For sure” she smiles.

Anya says goodbye to everybody else and climbs into Jake’s car so he can drive her to the station from where she’ll take the train back home. Lexa sighs as she watches the car drive away to finally fully disappear from her sight, “I wish she could have stayed for the last two days too”

“I know, baby” Clarke whispers. She kisses the side of Lexa’s face.

Aden lets out a small noise and Lexa looks down to see him looking up at her, arms open. She crouches down and he wraps his arms around her neck, “It’s okay, Lessa. Don’t be sad” he whispers, his tiny hands stroking her hair.

She smiles and holds the boy in her arms, “Thank you, buddy” she whispers.

Aden opens one of his arms and looks up at Clarke, “Clarke, come” he tells her, looking at her with hopeful eyes, “We have to comfort Lessa”

Clarke smiles and she crouches down, wrapping her arms around the both of them. She looks to her side and smiles brightly at Lexa before dropping a kiss on her lips. Aden looks at the action, eyebrows furrowed, then his face lights up and he moves his face closer to Lexa’s to quickly kiss her lips, “Magic kiss” he then whispers.

The girls look at each other and let out a small laugh at the little boy’s cuteness.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

Lexa knocks on the door of Jake and Hannah’s bedroom. She hears the muffled voice of the man telling her to come in and pushes the door open.

“Jake?” she calls.

“In here!” the man says from the bathroom, “I’ll be out in a second” he tells her.

Lexa sits on the bed and waits for him to step out of the bathroom. Tris, Aden and Hannah aren’t there because the woman wanted to do an activity with her children.

Jake gets out of the bathroom, a towel in hand as he dries his hair, “What do you need?” he asks.

“Um, I was hoping I could talk to you” Lexa says with small smile.

Jake easily returns the smile, “You can tell me anything” he tells her, “Well, maybe not _anything_ but you know what I meant”

Lexa chuckles and looks down at her hands, folded in her lap, “I just felt like I owed you a proper thank you for everything you have done for me” she starts.

She looks up at the man and the smile is still present on his face.

“I don’t know where I would be now if you and Clarke didn't take me in and I just don’t know how to express how grateful I am for everything you’ve done”

Jake drops a hand on her knee, “There is nothing to thank us for” he says.

He can see Lexa wants to argue but he stops her before she can even utter a single word.

“Our lives weren’t exactly great before you came in it. Clarke was pretending to be fine but I know what was happening with her mother was weighing down on her more than she was letting on”

Lexa nods and keeps quiet to let the man finish saying what he has to say.

“When she met you, it changed. She was smiling more, she started painting again”

“She had stopped painting?”

Jake nods, “It had been five months that she hadn’t touched a paintbrush and all of a sudden, she meets you and not even a day later, she's back at it, creating more art in a week than she had in the past half year” he reveals.

Lexa is surprised by this information. She didn’t know that.

“What I'm trying to say is that, you might think we saved you but the truth is you saved us” he earnestly tells her, “You saved this family just by being yourself and I am so grateful to you for that”

Lexa's eyes become watery and she wipes at a stray tear, “I don’t know what to say” she admits with a small chuckle.

Jake shrugs, “There isn’t anything to say” he tells her, wrapping his left arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side, “You are like a second daughter to me, Lexa”

Unshed tears form in Lexa's eyes and she tries hard to contain them to no avail, “Thank you, Jake”

He shakes his head, “Thank you” he says, “You make my daughter happy and that is the best gift a father could ever receive”

Tears roll down her cheeks and she smiles through them, “Jake?” she quietly says.

“Yeah?”

It is silent for a few seconds while Lexa tries to gather the courage to say what she has to say, “...Can I call you dad?” she finally asks, barely above a whisper.

A happy tear escapes Jake's eye and he nods, “Of course you can, sweetie” he kisses the top of her head.

 

 

\-----------------

 

 

The next evening, they are all chilling by the pool, calm surrounding them. Well, it was calm until Raven decided to jump into the pool, all of her clothes still on, splashing Clarke, Lexa and Luna who were sat near the edge.

“Raven!” Clarke exclaims, getting up, “You are an asshole” she tugs at her drenched clothes. She is the one who got the most water on herself.

“And proud to be” Raven grins up at her, “The water’s nice. Join me” she tells the blonde.

Clarke rolls her eyes but steps towards the edge anyway. She takes off her pants and her shirt, leaving her in her bra and underwear, and she jumps into the pool.

Lexa places Clarke's clothes on one of the lounge chairs, folding them neatly. She hears her name being called and snaps her head to the side to see Clarke smiling at her. She shakes her head, “Oh, no” she says, “I’m not jumping in” she tells her right when another body crashes onto the water.

Luna reemerges and grins, “Come on, Lex!” she shouts, “Don’t be a pussy”

Lexa arches an eyebrow and quickly discards her clothes before jumping into the water with them. Clarke swims towards her and wraps her arms and her legs around her body, “Hey, baby” she says before kissing her.

They break apart and Lexa lets out a small yelp when Luna splashes water at them, “Stop making out” the girl tells them.

They spend about fifty minutes in the swimming pool, playing around until Clarke notices how much her girlfriend is shivering, “You’re cold” she states, her thumb tracing over Lexa’s bottom lip which has taken onto a more blue-ish color, “Let’s get you out” she says.

Lexa gets out of the water and thanks Clarke when the blonde immediately hands her a big towel to dry herself and keep herself warm. The blonde sits on a lounge chair and tells Lexa to sit between her legs. Once they're both settled, Clarke starts rubbing her hands up and down Lexa's arms to warm her up a bit.

“Next time, tell me if you're cold” she whispers and presses a kiss to the base of Lexa’s neck.

The brunette shrugs, “I didn’t want you to stop playing just for me”

Clarke moves her arms to wrap around Lexa’s stomach, the brunette's back pressing against her front, “You always come first” she murmurs into her ear.

Lexa cranes her neck and kisses Clarke's chin, “I love you”

 

 

\---------------

 

 

Clarke walks into the bedroom and frowns when she sees the dejected look on Lexa's face. “Baby, what’s wrong?” she sits on the bed and grabs Lexa's hand.

“It’s the last evening we spend here” Lexa says quietly, “I’m gonna miss this” she adds, “I just wish we could spend holidays all together more often”

“If that’s what you want then we can make it happen” Clarke caresses her cheek, “You simply have to ask”

Lexa smiles, “You think your dad would agree to go back here someday?”

“I’m sure he would” Clarke grins, “And you know what, tonight is going to be the best evening you have ever had” she announces, jumping to her feet, “May I?” she extends a hand.

Lexa drops her hand in Clarke's and the blonde brings it to her lips, drawing a giggle from Lexa.

“If you would follow me” Clarke says, tugging at her girlfriend's hand.

She knocks on Raven’s and Luna’s bedroom door and the latter opens it, “What’s up?”

“It’s game room night” Clarke announces, winking at Lexa, “You’ll finally get your rematch at pool”

Luna’s lips split into a wide smile, “Yes! Babe!” she shouts, “We're finally gonna kick their ass at pool”

Raven emerges from the bathroom with an excited expression, “Finally!” she exclaims, “Let’s go, people” she shoves Luna out.

“Uh, babe...I appreciate the enthusiasm but you’re still half naked” Luna gestures towards the girl who only has a towel to cover herself.

Raven looks down and nods, “Right” she says, “I’ll be down in a minute. Don’t you dare start without me” she points a warning finger at the three other girls before all but running back into the bathroom.

 

 

\----------------

 

 

“Take that!” Clarke yells when she succeeds her shot.

Lexa pecks her lips, “Well done, babe” she praises. Raven grumbles and crosses her arms in front of her chest like a petulant child.

Clarke goes to hand Lexa the pool stick when the brunette’s phone starts ringing. She sees that it’s an incoming call from her mother, “I’ll be back. You can play that one. You’re doing amazing” she places a chaste kiss on Clarke's lips and steps out of the room for more quiet.

She slides her thumb along the screen and brings the phone to her ear, “Hey, mom” she greets, “Everything okay?” she asks.

_“Everything is fine”_ her mother assures her, _“I just wanted to check up on you and see if you’re having fun with your girlfriend and her family”_

Lexa smiles when her mother easily refers to Clarke as her girlfriend. It goes to prove that her mother really has come to terms with it and has fully accepted it.

“It’s...It’s amazing, mom” Lexa breathes out, “They’re all amazing and the beach is just so beautiful”

_“I’m happy to hear this. When you come back, maybe we could organize a dinner with me, you and Clarke?”_ Anastasia tentatively suggests, knowing she is still kinda walking on eggshells with her daughter.

“It sounds great” Lexa smiles, “I’ll talk to her about it”

_“Is she with you right now?”_

“She’s playing a game of pool right now but yes, she's with me”

_“Tell her thank you for me, will you?”_ “Thank you for what?” Lexa asks.

_“Thank you for taking care of my daughter when I was too much of a coward to do it”_

Lexa smiles and her voice softens, “I’ll give her the message” she tells her mother, “And mom?”

Her mother hums in reply.

“You’re here now. It’s all that matters”

_“Thank you for giving me a second chance, Lexa”_ her mother says, the emotion obvious in her voice, _“It means the world to me”_

Lexa blinks her tears away, “Of course, mom” she whispers.

“Lexa!” she hears Clarke call for her.

“I have to go, mom”

_“Alright, have fun, Lexa. I love you”_ her mother says and then the communication ends.

Lexa sighs and holds her phone against her chest, taking a hold of her emotions. Once it is done, she walks back into the game room and smiles brightly at Clarke to ease the worry she could see was etched on her features.

“We're about to win” Clarke says, “Wanna make the winning shot?” she holds the stick up.

Lexa grips it with a smile, “Sure”

Raven scoffs, “Don’t be so confident, Woods” she watches as the brunette places herself, “It’s a difficult shot. There's no way you’re going to-”

Her words die in her throats and her eyes widen when the ball knocks against one of the sides and ricochets, then knocks into the last ball which rolls until it falls into one of the corner holes. Lexa lowers the stick onto the table and grins smugly at the losing team, “You were saying?” she tells Raven.

Clarke laughs and kisses her cheek, “That was a beautiful shot” she whispers into her ear.

“Thank you” Lexa smiles at her.

Clarke returns the smile, “I have something else planned for tonight” she tells her girlfriend, “Follow me” she grabs her hand, “Bye, losers!” she shouts at the two other girls who grunt in reply. Raven even goes as far as flipping them the bird.

“Raven seems to be a pretty sore loser” Lexa notes.

“You have no idea” Clarke laughs.

 

 

\----------------

 

 

Clarke rummages through her playlist to find a song.

The blonde led them towards the front yard which was deserted, most of the house occupants being in the upstairs living room or in the home cinema.

“Got it” she says when she finds the song she was looking for. She presses play, “Lexa Woods, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?” she asks just as the first notes of ' _Thinking Out Loud_ ' start playing.

[the song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlCdmVnZzqc%20)

Lexa grins and takes the offered hand, allowing herself to be pulled towards the improvised dance floor. Clarke rests her arms over her shoulders and Lexa drops her hands on Clarke's hips, hugging the perfect curve of it. They start swaying gently along the music, very little space left between their bodies.

 

> _When your legs don't work like they used to before_
> 
> _And I can't sweep you off of your feet_
> 
> _Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love?_
> 
> _Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?_

 

Clarke steps even closer and she fully wraps her arms around Lexa's shoulders before dropping her head on the brunette's shoulder.

 

> _And, darling, I will be loving you 'til we're 70_
> 
> _And, baby, my heart could still fall as hard at 23_
> 
> _And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways_
> 
> _Maybe just the touch of a hand_
> 
> _Well, me—I fall in love with you every single day_
> 
> _And I just wanna tell you I am_

 

“This is nice” Lexa says, wrapping her arms more firmly around her girlfriend’s body.

Clarke hums in agreement, “We should dance more often” she adds.

Lexa smiles and she pulls away slightly to change their position. She takes one of Clarke's hands in her own, holding their joined hands up to their right, and she places her free hand on the blonde’s waist. Clarke's grins when she realizes what Lexa is doing and she drops her right hand on the brunette's shoulder, letting Lexa lead them in their steps.

 

> _So, honey, now_
> 
> _Take me into your loving arms_
> 
> _Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars_
> 
> _Place your head on my beating heart_
> 
> _I'm thinking out loud_
> 
> _Maybe we found love right where we are_

 

> _When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades_
> 
> _And the crowds don't remember my name_
> 
> _When my hands don't play the strings the same way_
> 
> _I know you will still love me the same_

 

They start moving across the surface of the backyard, rotating on themselves, eyes connected. Lexa lets go of her waist and spins her around before slightly tugging on her left hand, bringing Clarke's body back against her own.

“Where did you learn how to dance like that?” Clarke asks with a wide smile.

Lexa blushes, “I watched some videos on youtube” she admits, “I wanted to be ready if you ever asked me to dance with you”

“That’s adorable, baby” Clarke pecks both of her cheeks, then her lips.

>  
> 
> _'Cause, honey, your soul could never grow old, it's evergreen_
> 
> _And, baby, your smile's forever in my mind and memory_
> 
> _I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways_
> 
> _Maybe it's all part of a plan_
> 
> _Well, I'll just keep on making the same mistakes_
> 
> _Hoping that you'll understand_
> 
>  
> 
> _That, baby, now_
> 
> _Take me into your loving arms_
> 
> _Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars_
> 
> _Place your head on my beating heart_
> 
> _Thinking out loud_
> 
> _Maybe we found love right where we are_

 

Lexa smiles and twirls Clarke once more before she places her hands back on Clarke's hips and resumes their previous slow dancing, just swaying slowly from side to side.

“You are so beautiful” she whispers.

Clarke blushes and tucks her hair behind her ear, looking at Lexa somewhat shyly through her eyelashes, “Thank you” she murmurs.

“I can’t believe you want to be with me”

“Shh” Clarke hushes her, “We've been over this already” she smiles, “You” she kisses Lexa's nose, “are” she drops a kiss on her left cheek, “absolutely” another one on her right cheek, “perfect” she leans forward and brings their lips together in a slow kiss.

 

> _So, baby, now_
> 
> _Take me into your loving arms_
> 
> _Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars_
> 
> _Oh, darling, place your head on my beating heart_
> 
> _I'm thinking out loud_
> 
> _But maybe we found love right where we are_
> 
> _Oh, baby, we found love right where we are_
> 
> _And we found love right where we are_

 

The last notes play and the song comes to an end but neither girl truly notices, too wrapped up in the kiss and in each other.

“Can we go one last time to the beach?” Lexa asks timidly.

Clarke smiles and nods, “Follow me” she says before walking away and towards the beach.

“Wait, Clarke” Lexa suddenly thinks of something, “Are we allowed to go there at night”

Clarke shrugs, “Probably not” she says, “If a security guy asks you anything, pretend like you weren’t aware of the rules” Clarke keeps walking and stops when she notices Lexa isn’t walking alongside her anymore. She turns around and arches an eyebrow. “You coming?”

Lexa hesitates then ends up following after Clarke, running up to the blonde, “If we get in trouble-”

“We won’t” Clarke cuts her off, “You wanted to go to the beach and who am I to deny you what you want?” she winks.

Lexa lets a tiny smile escape and she brushes her pinky against Clarke's until the blonde understands the silent request and links their fingers together.

Clarke sits on the sand and tugs on Lexa's hand to get her to sit down as well. As soon as the brunette is seated, Clarke moves into her lap, arms coming up to rest around the girl’s shoulders, “Hey”

Lexa places her hands on the girl's thighs and raises her gaze to meet soft blue eyes, “Hey” her lips curl into a small smile, “My mom wants to meet with you and I when we come back, to have dinner”

“She does?” Clarke smiles, “That sounds nice” she quietly says, “She’s been kind to you, right?” concern seeps into her voice.

Lexa nods, “She has. I’m very happy”

“Then I’m happy too” Clarke's smile widens and she cups Lexa’s cheeks, her thumbs caressing the brunette's cheekbones.

“Thank you for this week” Lexa says and she gently bumps her nose against Clarke's, “This has been the best week of my life”

Clarke smiles, “Anything for you”

Lexa tilts her head up and brings their lips together shortly, “I love you so much” she says, tears pooling in her eyes.

Clarke frowns, “Why are you crying?” she moves her thumbs to wipe away the tears.

Lexa shakes her head, “I’m not sad” she reassures Clarke with a smile, “I’ve just never felt so happy. It’s a bit overwhelming, I’m sorry”

Tears start brimming at the corner of Clarke's eyes as well and she moves forward to connect their lips in a slow yet passionate kiss. Lexa pulls away after long seconds and she gestures for Clarke to turn around in her lap. The blonde presses her back against Lexa's front and hums contentedly when strong arms wrap around her middle.

“Clarke?”

She receives a hum in response.

“I love you”

Clarke turns around and kisses her, “I love you too” she whispers.

“I want to be with you forever” Lexa confesses after a few beats of silence.

Clarke's eyes soften considerably and she leans her forehead against Lexa’s, “Me too, baby”

“I just…” Lexa stops speaking and Clarke grabs her hands and gives them an encouraging squeeze, “There are so many feelings inside of me and I feel like I will combust if I don't let it out”

Clarke presses their lips together, “You can tell me anything” she whispers.

Lexa reaches into her pocket and retrieves a small ring, “Before you start panicking” she says with a small laugh, “I’m not proposing to you just yet”

Clarke smiles and takes the ring in between her fingers, admiring it. She looks up into Lexa’s eyes questioningly.

“This is a promise ring” Lexa reveals, rubbing the back of her neck in nervousness, “I’ve carried it with me for a few weeks now. I was trying to find the right time. I read somewhere on the internet that it was a very romantic thing to do and I just really wanted to give you one but I would understand if you thought it was too soon or to cheesy to-”

Her rambling is cut off when lips crash against her own for a heated kiss that takes her aback. She quickly recovers to return the kiss properly.

“This is amazing” Clarke breathes out, eyes flicking between her girlfriend and the ring she is holding. She leans forward to kiss the brunette once more but a hand stops her,

“Wait” Lexa says.

“What’s wrong?”

Lexa smiles nervously, “I kind of have this speech I prepared and if I don't say it now I will chicken out”

Clarke looks at Lexa adoringly as the brunette takes her hand and absentmindedly plays with her fingers. Finally green meets blue and Lexa smiles timidly at her before she starts speaking.

"Falling in love with you was effortless. Loving you was what scared me the most but you made it easy. You made it all okay” she says with raw honesty.

Clarke squeezes her hand and brushes her thumb over the back of it, a silent encouragement for the brunette to continue.

“You helped me overcome my insecurities. You offered me a family when my own abandoned me and you offered me a home. I always thought home was a place but being with you made me realize that home isn't always a location. Home sometimes can be found in the form of a person” she smiles and brings her free hand up to wipe at the tears.

One look into Clarke's eyes tells her that the blonde is getting just as emotional as her, if not more.

“You, Clarke Griffin, made me think that yeah, you could be my home. You _are_ my home. You know how people always say that coming back home after a long day is an amazing feeling?”

Clarke nods through her tears.

“Well, all I can picture is me coming home to you. I will forever be grateful to you for everything you've done for me. I am completely and desperately in love with you. And we might have only been together for a few months but you are the one for me, I am sure of it"

Clarke wipes at a few tears and launches herself forward, tackling Lexa backwards on the sand as she holds her tight, "I love you" she repeats over and over again as she showers Lexa's face with kisses, “I love you so much”

Lexa giggles and wraps her arms around the blonde's waist, “Does this mean you accept my gift?” she nods towards the ring which Clarke still holds in her hand.

“Of course I accept, you dummy” Clarke wipes at her tears and offers her hand and the ring to Lexa so that the brunette can put it on her finger herself.

Lexa slides the ring on Clarke's finger and she smiles down at it, “It looks beautiful on you” she states happily.

Clarke stares down at it, “It really does” she whispers.

Her hands frame Lexa's face and she kisses her hard, “You are the only one for me” she whispers.

They walk back to the house hand in hand with wide, happy smiles lighting up their faces, stealing glances at one another every two seconds. They fall onto the bed in between slow, loving kisses and soon, all clothes have been discarded and thrown to the floor of their bedroom. Their naked bodies melt together between the sheets as they slowly worship each other’s body, savoring each second of it.

They finally fall asleep in each other’s arms, legs tangled and bodies pressed close together, the promise of a future together lingering between them.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is it. I want to thank each and everyone of you for the support throughout the whole story. You guys are amazing and I will never tire of saying it :) There might be a few one-shots in the universe of this story but I do not plan to write a sequel, sorry :/ I started another story called Break the Distance, if you guys want to check it out too :) Thank you again and I wish you all a good morning/afternoon/evening/night ;)

**Author's Note:**

> A big thank you to nrcda88, the new beta reader for this story  
> What did you guys think of the chapter? Comments are always greatly appreciated :)


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